“It was awful. … I honestly thought I was dying.” - Young, healthy COVID-19 patient talks of illness, hospitalization

Editor's note: This article has been updated to include the name of the patient, with his permission, although he originally requested anonymity.

“I just hope people do take it serious, because I was one of those that wasn’t taking it very serious and it almost cost me everything.”

Those are the words of the first person in Butler County to test positive for COVID-19.

A healthy man in his 30s, he watched his child crawl for the first time through video chat while hospitalized for the condition.

The man spoke exclusively Tuesday morning with the Daily American Republic because he wants the public to understand the toll this disease can take, even on those who are young and do not have underlying health problems.

“I wish everybody would just listen and take those precautions,” he said. “No one wants their family member to go through all that. It was awful. … I honestly thought I was dying.”

His experience also highlights the delays and shortages in COVID-19 testing which have frustrated medical workers across the country.

His first attempt to get tested was March 10, when symptoms first appeared. The facility he presented to said they did not have tests at that time.

He was tested March 17, the day before he was hospitalized.

Officials were not notified until March 31 that he was positive for COVID-19.

This was 20 days after symptoms appeared and 12 days after he was hospitalized.

John Goodwin was initially unsure if he wanted to release his name, but decided to share his story because of the misinformation surrounding COVID-19 and its treatment.

The DAR confirmed with official sources that Goodwin is the patient whose information was released Tuesday. Confirmation was given with the patient’s consent, while following privacy laws.

Goodwin began a self quarantine as soon as symptoms presented, and even before he was able to convince medical personnel to test him for COVID-19. He says he did not go to work, to the grocery store or anywhere else in public.

His wife and infant child were sent immediately to stay with family and did not return home until two days after medical professionals said it was safe.

Goodwin was careful to warn medical professionals about his suspected condition ahead of visits, so they could also be prepared.

A family trip with

frightening results

Goodwin’s story starts March 5, before the nation had truly woken up to the current crisis.

He and multiple family members traveled to New Oreleans to celebrate a family birthday with in laws who live there.

Goodwin, his wife and two other family members made the nine-hour drive in one car, with other family members in a second car.

No one else in the family has exhibited any symptoms of the illness, he said.

During the trip they attended an NBA game.

While he can’t say for certain where he contracted the virus, that trip stands out.

“I went to an NBA game, which was foolish now thinking back on it,” he said during a phone interview. “There was one thing that really stuck out to me, and I think is sticking out to me for a reason. There was a guy in front of us … he had beads of sweat running down his face (and) it’s a well air conditioned building.”

The family drove home together at the end of the trip, March 7, after the birthday celebration and a trip to the zoo.

Testing issues

Goodwin said he developed a headache on March 9.

On March 10, he woke up, took four steps out of bed and had to vomit. He also had chills.

“I told my wife, you need to pack some stuff up, get our (child) and go stay with your parents for a while, just to be on the safe side, still not thinking I had this,” he said. “I thought maybe I just had the seasonal flu.”

Goodwin went that day to John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, where he tested negative for the flu.

He says VA staff told him that they did not have COVID-19 tests. Goodwin would make another trip to the VA before being hospitalized, still unable to get tested.

VA officials said Tuesday afternoon that they did not have the capability to test patients for COVID-19 until Sunday, March 29.

They have a limited supply of tests, with the expectation that they will receive more.

Those tests are being prioritized based on CDC guidelines, VA officials said. Tests are given to those who fit in one or more of three categories: in patient; exposed health care workers; and those at high risk, who also have symptoms.

The testing issues are not a problem with local providers, Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Robbie Myers said Tuesday afternoon.

“This has happened statewide and nationwide,” Myers said, adding, “We are all frustrated with the amount of time it is taking to get the test results back.”

Labs are undertaking a “momentous task,” he said. Myers is hopeful a local lab, Gamma Lab, will be able start testing by the end of the week, reducing turnaround to 1-2 days (See story on page 2).

Goodwin said once he was tested, his test was sent to California. He was told tests there are being prioritized to patients who are on ventilators, putting him in a lower priority category.

Symptoms

A ventilator was not needed to treat Goodwin, but he did experience severe symptoms.

Short walks exhausted him, he said, and his breathing became very labored after even short distances.

The vomiting lasted about a day, less time than some cases have reported.

He says he did not experience a high fever for the majority of his illness before hospitalized, but he did experience a bad headache for the entire time.

He was exhausted and wanted to sleep constantly, but would not stay asleep for long, during some periods of the illness.

There was a period shortly before he was hospitalized where he experienced severe hot flashes, but does not believe he had a fever at the time.

“I was so hot, I drove around in my truck with the air conditioning on for an hour and a half,” he said. “I could not get cool.”

Everything he tried to eat also tasted bad, he said.

The day after his second trip to the VA, Goodwin said, he saw a private doctor.

This doctor was made aware before he arrived that Goodwin thought he was experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Staff had doors open for him when he arrived and wore full protective equipment during the visit.

The private doctor said on March 17 that he had pneumonia.

“I went home, took the medicine (they) gave me and pretty much just slept all day,” Goodwin said. “The next day I woke up just feeling awful.”

He made plans to go to the hospital and called the emergency room at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center to warn them he thought he had COVID-19. He also wore a mask he had received during an earlier visit to medical personnel.

“At this point I’m thinking, I probably have this. It’s been over a week now and I’m still sick,” he said. “There were about three people who came out. … They came out and rushed me into a decontamination room and had all their gear on.”

They did x-rays and a CT.

He had pneumonia in both his lungs.

“It was pretty bad,” Goodwin said.

He was admitted to a room. During his stay, hospital staff used a separate room to put on their protective equipment.

“They just did an incredible job,” he said. “I was shocked at how nice they were. They weren’t acting scared to come in or anything like that. … They didn’t hesitate.”

He was not allowed visitors, and spoke with family by phone and video chat.

“I was thinking it was going to be hard, but not having anybody to come visit, it was going to be even harder,” he said.

“(I thought) I just I hope I make it through this, honestly,” Goodwin continued, his voice breaking up slightly with emotion. “I heard about a lot of deaths. I knew my case at this point was pretty serious. I was hoping I would make it through.”

He kept going through in his mind that he was healthy, he didn’t expect to get this sick from COVID-19.

“I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I don’t do drugs. I work out. I play basketball. I’m very active,” he said. “I think I take pretty good care of myself.

“I thought, ‘man, if this could be happening to me, this could happen to anybody.’”

By the end of day two of being in the hospital, he began to feel better. Goodwin isn’t sure what was used to treat his case. He knows they told him, but doesn’t remember.

It was his wife who initially suggested Goodwin go to the hospital that day.

They used video chat to communicate.

He missed some milestones during this time. His child started crawling and learned to sit up.

“He’s a mover and a shaker now,” Goodwin said with a laugh. “You’ve got to watch him.”

Recovery

Goodwin was discharged from the hospital on Thursday, March 19, while his test results were still pending.

“They told me to go home and quarantine myself like I had been doing,” he said.

Hospital staff called daily to check on him, he said.

His quarantine was lifted officially March 25.

Goodwin and his family had given up on getting his original test results back by that time.

His wife and child returned home March 27.

Before they came home, Goodwin spent more than a day cleaning their home thoroughly. While they were gone, he tried to limit his movements to specific areas of their home and did not go in his child’s room at all.

Cleaning included not only all surfaces in the areas he used, but also anything in cabinets and drawers that he may have used.

Today, he says he feels good.

He thinks a return to work will help life feel “normalish” again, but that hasn’t happened just yet.

For his family, he’s also the official grocery shopper now, he said, laughing.

This was a wake up call for his family and extended family, Goodwin said, and he hopes it will be for others.

Medical professionals urge anyone who believes they have symptoms to call before arriving at any care facility and to self isolate.

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This story has been corrected to reflect a testing date of March 17, not March 18 as originally reported.