Covid-19 almost killed the CEO

I am writing this to share a glimpse into my experience having tested positive for Covid-19 and nearly losing my life in the process. This story is dedicated to people's love for me from my family, friends, employees, the healthcare professionals who revived me and those close to me in all of my networks. I hope that you would consider becoming my friend if I don't know you and I hope that we can appreciate the humanity and being in each other. I hope that you reading this will give you a renewed sense of hope, prayer, faith, love in human existence and to those who surround you with kindness, positive energy and trust in your life. Nothing matters but our very existence, our humanity and breath cannot be taken for granted. Let's go.

Rewind back a few weeks. I was working 15-18 hour days. Avid crossfitter, orange theory fitness lover, rower, runner, nutrition wasn't perfectly on point. Minimal sleep, denying burnout. Refusing to see it, couldn't see it. Denied it. I admit it.

I started having what I immediately made an excuse was my annual sinusitis pain/congestion. Only it got worse. I suddenly had such enormous pain in my sinuses I couldn't think right. I tried to push it. I went to my typical walk in urgent care to patch on some steroids and antibiotics. In the process, the doctor from a precautionary standpoint, gave me a Covid Nasal Swab test. Continuing to push at this point, I got worse. Within a few days, Quest Labs got back to me over my Quest App and I undoubtedly was "red" detected as Coronavirus Positive. Everything went to hell in a handbasket from here.

So the Pre-Covid Dan Thompson went home, sucked it up. I tried pushing through. I told my employees I couldn't be there. I told them to get tested and thank god they were all ok. I'm thinking by now that I'll be ok. Only thing is I was dead wrong.

My symptoms turned into low grade fever, followed by body aches, sweats, headaches, tooth aches, aches on my shins, calves, lower legs. My wife tested positive. She crashed but luckily stayed somewhat controlled with her symptoms. Being the push type I pushed on destined to try and shake this. This was only the beginning and I had no idea.

By the next day, I had no sleep, my back started feeling like someone was punching me on both sides. Tremendous pain turned into coughing up blood. My daughter is a nurse at our local Golisano Children's Hospital, she brought over an Oxygen Sat monitor, I was testing at 92, 91, 87, 88...not good. My wife continued to ring in at 98, 97. She was safe and I was not. I called my Primary Care Doctor who ordered me to drive a mile to our local Free Standing ER. My Primary Care Doctor told me to get a Chest XRay and Chest CT. I drove to the Free Standing ER, my three kids all new teenagers cried as I walked out of the house. My worst nightmare, I had never been in a hospital, never had an IV, never smoked, light drinker, no other health conditions at all. Why was this happening to me.

I entered the free standing ER to be greeted by the security and front triage team. The brought me in. The ER attending doctor and nurse were clearly overwhelmed, having a bad day and were not what I would call Ritz Carlton hospitality. Immediately I was brought in, drilled in with IV's, filling me with antibiotics and steroids in hopes of reducing swelling/inflammation as the first course of treatment. My O2 Sat rate was still holding 92, 93, 94, 91, 95. I was taken to the CT scan, injected with dye and then after hours of laying in agony and pain, told that I should go home and recover by sleep/rest. I didn't understand how a Free standing ER would release me back home, coughing blood. I assumed that those managing my care would have proper judgement and my interest. Wasn't the case. I even showed the ER Doctor the blood by spitting into a cup and trashcan. His judgement in the healthcare ecosystem would have killed someone else. It didn't kill me luckily. Although, I assume his poor judgement will be not tested though I hope that in some way, fate tests him. I know it's not right to wish anything ill will, but, I was in bad shape. How could this happen?

The short term treatment I got at the freestanding ER was not good. It was enough to allow me the energy to get in my car, still cloudy, still O2 Sat of low 90's. Wondering what I was to do next. The next two days was a virtual struggle that I would never like to repeat again in my life. I hope that you take every precaution to safeguard yourself, your company, your family, your friends, your neighbors, even your worst enemies. I would experience the most unbelievable pain and symptoms that nearly put my body in total breakdown wondering why me. I called my Primary Care Physician who was shocked that I had been released and he immediately called the major hospital in our area, arranging my reception by the Emergency Room Physician and team. Again, existing the house, I cried into my wife's shoulder, I cried into my hands and still had no idea what was happening to me. My daughter, clad in her PPE gear, drove me to the Emergency Room. By this time, the blood was dark red and the pain on my back felt like I just exited a ring from a title fight, having been punched to death on my back.

At the arrival to the main hospital, I was triaged by the most kind nurse I have ever met. She told me she had Covid and was asymptomatic. I was starting to get a blurry vision at this point, she got me into the ER. The Doctor on duty immediately took a look at me and put an O2 Sat monitor on my finger and asked me to follow him around the ER department following him the closest I could. When we arrived back to my ER cube holding area, my O2 sat was 92, heart rate racing. He immediately ordered me on IV's, antibiotics and steroids being infused immediately. CT Scan ordered, hours went by, blood extracted. I was told that I had bilateral pneumonia at this point, severe infected lungs, crashing liver and countless symptoms that were so many I felt like I wanted to die. After the Emergency room declared me a disaster, I was admitted. Was I going to die? Why me? I thought this was all so insane, I couldn't believe it was happening to me. What about the new clients I just signed up, what happens to the Doctors who I was talking to for my Technology company? What happens to my employees, what happens to my kids, my wife, my family....Suddenly Covid is killing the CEO.

By the time I was moved to an inpatient room in the main tower, I was being told that I was moving to a floor of all people who were in a similar crisis. No known chronic conditions, but, infectious disease doctors, nurse teams, respiratory specialists, nurses, nutrition teams all working together to apply protocols that health care professionals had been learning since last March when Covid hit. Thank god I didn't get this back then. There would have been zero plan. Imagine that scenario. Could have been worse.

The infectious disease doctor became my friend. The nurse team became my friends. The phlebotomist who came in to extract my blood became my friend. The very nature of this medical team coming together to try and solve my dilemma was humbling and terrifying all at the same time. I was told that I was going to get the Remdesivir treatment (which I referred to the Trump drugs) and that the full treatment was 5 days of IV infused treatment. As I got the treatment, I slowly was weaned off Oxygen. 4 liters became 3 liters, became 2 liters became 1.5 down to .5 and then off on the fifth day. My symptoms slowly started residing, sinus pain subsided. The respiratory stress began to calm, I starting using that IS meter, sucking in air and working my lungs back to health again. At the low point, I could only pull 500 ML, at my restored breathing I was back to 2000ML. This whole process scared me so badly, I could never have imagined this happen to me. My wife had already had the worst years of her life, as we lost her father 3 years ago, buried her mother back in december and lost her only brother to Opioid Overdose in May. All she had was me left. She was devastated at the very thought of losing her soulmate.

The healthcare professionals are angels. They put their lives at risk to save me. My employees pushed their boundaries of comfort to answer my emails, present on sales calls even though they weren't sales people, they renewed their groups, they stayed positive, remained calm, made a plan and executed. All for me. My family prayed and kept wishing me thoughts on recovery. My friends were shocked, not many knew what was happening and telling this story to a few people so far has been impactful enough I had to write it for others to see.

You see, the silver lining to this is that life has given me a second chance. Covid did not kill the CEO, but, Covid has unearthed a soul and existence in me of infinite gratitude for life, humanity, existence, the very breath I take in.

My parting message to you is stay safe, take precautions, do everything in a time of uncertainty to protect your self, your neighbors, your family, the vulnerable and above all live in happiness and everlasting love for the time you have on earth.

If you would humble me with your stories, I would like to hear from you. Message me and let me know if this story has helped your perspective on life and your total being as it has me.

With Love for Life, Dan.