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Vegreville News Advertiser - January 6, 2021
COVID and I
Vegreville resident Jerrold Lemko shares his near-death experience with COVID-19. The first-hand account is powerful and emotional, and this is his harrowing journey told in his own words.
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Jerrold Lemko - Submitted
I’m finally at home after a long battle with COVID pneumonia. What a beast this COVID is. I got sick on Dec. 4 in the evening. It was a slow slide from there until Dec. 17 when it went bad real fast. I was transported from the Vegreville hospital via ambulance to the Royal Alex emergency department. I was placed on oxygen to help me breathe. I was transferred to the internal medicine unit at 4:30 am.
Next morning things got worse. An ICU doctor paid me a visit a told me about my chances and how very sick I am. No sugar coating here. He told me to prepare and if things don’t improve what my death would be like. I was moved to ICU shortly thereafter.
Jerrold Lemko while in the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.
(Jerrold Lemko/Submitted Photos)
Jerrold Lemko photo from 2017 municipal elections
(News Advertiser / File Photo)
Now the process gets crazy. About five IV lines inserted into my arms to fill me full of steroids, nourishment, fluids, antibiotics, and all other things in between. I have a pressurized line inserted into my arterial vein so they can monitor blood pressure and draw blood on demand.
I have a garden hose around my neck attached to an oxygen pump with fluid to pour the oxygen into me. Flow of 80 litres per minute, (lpm) at 80 percent. As high as you can go before intubation. ECG lines are attached that monitors my heart constantly. I have a never-ending headache. Changes are happening all
