INDIANAPOLIS — Doctors are finding that pneumonia can be a complication of COVID-19. When the infection progresses to a patient's lungs it can cause pneumonia.
“I didn’t know you can have horrible pneumonia without a horrible cough. This COVID it is like bionic, it's weird,” said Elaine Robbins. She is staying hopeful as her husband battles COVID-19 pneumonia, something doctors say they are starting to see more in patients.
Her husband Mark appeared to be fine at first.
“On Nov. 10, he came home with a headache and he was tired but that is him half the time, but he said i really don’t feel good," Elaine said.
In a matter of a few weeks this family’s life has been flipped upside down by the coronavirus.
“He was just so tired, but he couldn’t get up and we didn’t know it was because his oxygen levels were so dangerously low,” Elaine said.
He could barely walk when we got to the hospital.
“They said if we would have waited any longer, he would have died, and he has just gone downhill,” Elaine said.
For this mother and wife, it hurts to see the love of her life suddenly fighting for his life.
“My three daughters, it’s their dad, it’s my husband there’s a good chance they are going to lose their dad and I am going to lose my husband,” Elaine said.
Doctors are still learning about COVID-19 pneumonia, but they say patients with the diagnosis usually have both lungs affected instead of just one.
“When it does ravage your lungs it’s like a tornado,” Elaine said.
Even though she says doctors have called her husband’s situation dire, she’s not losing hope and still believes a miraculous recovery can happen.
Last week, Mark received convalescent plasma, and according to family, in the last two days he's been steadily show in signs of improvement although he is still on a ventilator.
