Key takeaways:
- For almost a year, Matthew Cardinal has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
- Cardinal was allowed to leave the hospital. He claims he never fully recovered, claiming that a year later, the effects of his battle with COVID-19 are still bothering him.
- Cardinal is one of many people who has “long COVID,” which is a term for long-term problems that appear months after the initial infection.
Matthew Cardinal has been diagnosed with COVID-19 for almost a year.
He had no idea at the time that it would change his life for months – the scars from his long battle with the virus are still visible today.
“It affects everyone differently, but mine hurt my lungs.” And it’s terrifying,” Cardinal added.
On March 19, 2021, Cardinal tested positive for COVID-19. His health quickly deteriorated following his diagnosis, prompting him to dial 911 on March 22 after experiencing shortness of breath, constant hiccups, and phlegm in his lungs.
He was at the Regina General Hospital for the cure, but his condition worsened, and on March 25, he was transferred to the hospital’s intensive care unit, where he was intubated.
On April 9, 2021, Cardinal was released from the hospital. He claims he never fully recovered, as he is still suffering from the effects of his battle with COVID-19 a year later.
Cardinal explained, “My lungs are still pretty cloudy, and they’re starting to think it’s scar tissue – damage from extreme pneumonia.” “I’m still experiencing shortness of breath almost a year later.” I’m not a runner. I can walk quickly, but I can’t do it for more than a few hours at a time because it exhausts me.”
Also read: 13 more COVID-19-related deaths have been reported in Saskatchewan
Cardinal is one of many people who suffer from “long COVID” — long-term problems that develop months after the initial infection.
Cardinal recently shared X-ray images of his lungs on social media to show the public what it looks like to suffer from long COVID symptoms.
“I’m demonstrating the symptoms of a serious COVID-19 infection. He captioned one of his Twitter posts, “These are my X-rays.”
Cardinal admitted that determining how much his lungs have changed since contracting COVID-19 has been difficult.
“I was taken aback. Cardinal admitted, “I had a good cry.” “It bothers me when people say I exaggerate everything.
Cardinal has tried to adapt as much as he can despite the traumatic experience to live a normal life.
He tries to stay active as well as has even returned to work, but he claims that his lungs will never be exact.
“It’s been difficult. I used to be more active and spend more time outside when I was younger. However, after I finish a shift at work, I’ll have to take a few hours off. It’s a pain.”
Source: Global News
