Felt like a steamroller was squeezing my lungs
Editor's note: The federal government will end the public health emergency on May 11, three years after the COVID-19 pandemic began. But Isles of Capri resident Brian Semmler says he barely escaped the illness and plans to continue taking precautions.
I’m a 75-year-old electric lineman living the good life on the Isles of Capri with my wife of 55 years. I think I am reasonably healthy or at least I was! Like most here on the Isles we are still cleaning up from the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
When COVID first presented itself a few years ago we were wearing masks and using sanitizing wipes, but like many, I began slacking off, quit wearing masks and using sanitizing wipes.
Sure enough, recently we started feeling weak and wound up testing positive with one of those home test kits. It felt like the flu to me, so we just thought we’d let it run its course. After two weeks I woke up one morning and something had changed drastically. I was headed in the wrong direction.
I still tried some inhalers but by early afternoon on March 21 I told my wife to get ready as I was going to take a shower and then drive to the emergency room at the “little hospital” -- Physicians Regional on Collier Boulevard. About ten minutes later, I said forget the shower, you need to drive me. Within ten minutes after that, I said, “Call 9-1-1!” Just that quickly, I couldn’t even dial the telephone.
After two weeks of COVID working on my immune system it had found my weak link: a heart blockage and it had zeroed in on it!
The only way I could describe the feeling would be a steamroller starting at the bottom of my lungs. Every breath I let out that steamroller would move up an inch. Each breath was going to be a little less than the last. I guess it took about an hour for that steamroller to make it to the top. At this point I was out in the front yard, not knowing if my wife had reached dispatch or not. With just seconds left I thought it’s been a pretty good 75 years, half of it on Capris.
The steamroller had reached the top, no more breath! I took one last look down Panay Avenue and saw the big nose of that firetruck and thought, “I’ve got a chance!”
I don’t remember much after that. I came to now and then during the ride but what I do know is that due to their expert driving and correct decision-making in that ambulance, there was life to hand off to the next team of miracle workers. To the emergency team on Capri, you saved my life and without you, the story would have ended here. Thank you!
In the ER
It sure would be interesting to hear the doctors, nurses and technicians making lifesaving decisions during that first hour. I do know they made the correct ones. I was put on a breathing machine (ventilator) for 24 hours I guess, and when they removed it I was conscious for the first time. I remember squeezing my wife’s hand and maybe a nurse. I laid back and realized that the steamroller was gone. They had somehow managed to get it off my chest! To the ER team at that little hospital, your correct, no mistakes decision-making saved my life, all the while comforting my wife. Without you, the story would have ended here.
So after the ambulance ride, 24 hours on the machines and three days in the ER, they rolled me toward the second floor. After all that I didn’t have as much as a sore throat or cut lip. No pain. Unbelievable!
Alright, to the second-floor surgical team to squeeze this COVID out of my body and get me breathing again. Finally, things are slowing down. You can talk to people.
The first thing I noticed was the names as they would introduce themselves. You had the local talent with familiar names. But you soon realize these teams are from all corners of the earth. At first, I thought how could they possibly be on the same page? But whether you’re born in Florida or Japan, the human body is the same. It was great to hear their history. I’d been to some of their countries during my Navy days, so it was fun talking with all of these health care professionals. All spoke excellent English and had top-notch educations. Everyone on that floor worked together to help me get better. Rotating nurses constantly checking meds, conferring with doctors and the best breathing techs who were constantly waking me up during the night for breathing treatments and blood work but apologizing all the while for doing so.
I never once heard any bickering or grumbling about the hospital or patients. They are whipping me back into shape. After a day or two, doctors started trying to figure out what was different about my situation. They ran more tests (cardiac) and realized that the heart damage had been caused by my poor choices over a period of 60 or more years. I had lost half of my pumping capacity due to ignoring the most important organ in my body just because it was "doing OK." They decided to send me down to Dr. Levin and his two teammates to run a camera into my heart and see what I've been up to these last 60 years. Uh oh!
The first thing they probably noticed was that three-pack-a-day habit I had. It was 40 years ago but COVID didn't let it slide. They quickly found the main blockage and started discussing a stent size. You are wide awake during this procedure and can even talk to them. It's truly amazing. Well, they decided the No. 33 and I agreed. Within an hour on that machine, they had installed the stent and returned blood flow to my neglected organ.
As I laid in my hospital room, after another delicious meal from the kitchen, I could see the dark blue bruising had pretty much left my arms and hand and a beautiful tan color had returned. A true miracle from that machine and the team that ran it. Thank you!
They're not letting me off the hook that easily, though. Dr. Diana's cardiac team wants me back for more testing and possible lifestyle changes, but for the immediate future they have me headed in the right direction.
Back at home my wife mentioned that I hadn't coughed once the previous night. I decided to retest for COVID. It was clear. The second floor team had run COVID out of my body!
When I think of people on that second floor, I can picture those old white-haired guys with the quill pens trying to put together a new nation of freedom and see that whether you came over on a boat from Europe as my relatives did or flew in from Manila a year ago, as one of the nurses did, their plan is still working. I've never been prouder to be a part of this country.
Looking back, my biggest mistake was not following Dr. Saleem's advice. He said once shortness of breath starts I should call 9-1-1. No more home remedies. Do not try to drive yourself to the ER.
Going forward, after talking to the nurses and techs, I will have a mask with me in case I get in a crowd. I will carry a pack of sanitizing wipes for cleaning hands, shopping carts, steering wheel, etc. That's easy, common sense stuff we should do for normal cold and flu germs anyway. What I won't do is believe what somebody on TV says about it. I learned that the hard way.
To anyone wanting to know what is going on with this disease, just stop one of the white coats or blue uniforms when you see them in the grocery store aisles and elsewhere. The first thing is to thank them for what they do. This disease has run these medical teams and their families through the wringer just trying to get a handle on it. They may not talk very long. They are probably just getting off two weeks of 12-hour shifts. They may say things have let up some and maybe offer some helpful hints, but they WON'T tell you to forget about it, it's over.
To the management of Physicians Regional on Collier Boulevard, I don't know how you were able to pull this team together from all ends of the earth, but they are top-notch. To lose even one of these people due to wages or benefits problems would be such a waste. I'm sure it's a constant challenge for you.
So whether you were there as I thought I might be taking my last breath or if you had any part in making my quality of life better, I will never forget it!
You gave me a chance. You saved my life! Thank you all.
Brian Semmler is a resident of Isles of Capris and says he was up to date on his COVID vaccinations.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Felt like a steamroller was squeezing my lungs
