‘Close to death’

With kidneys almost failing, virus-afflicted Jamaican says fleeing NYC saved his life

JAMAICA-BORN TROY Hamilton is counting his lucky stars. The 52-year-old has recovered after falling victim to the dreaded coronavirus after a visit to the epicentre of New York City to purchase supplies for his produce-distribution business. The decision to travel to New York on March 5 proved to be a choice that almost resulted in his death.

“I am lucky, very lucky. I tested positive for the virus and came close to death,” Hamilton told The Gleaner.

Hamilton, who resides in the southern US state of North Carolina, said he contracted the virus when he visited his sister’s home in the state, which has tallied more than 103,000 cases and around 9,800 deaths.

The US accounts for nearly 560,000 cases – just under 30 per cent of the global number – and more than 22,000 deaths, a record for any nation.

“My brother-in-law was not feeling good, and I began to feel bad, too. I had started to come down with a fever, and my appetite went . ... The fever got worse, and I felt very sick,” he said.

Despite his sister beseeching him not to drive home alone, Hamilton believes that the decision to leave New York may have saved his life.

FEELING WORSE

Hamilton embarked on the almost eight-hour drive back to his home to be with family, all the while feeling worse.

“When I got home, that’s when the fever start to wash me, and when my wife got home, she said she was taking me to the ER (emergency room). Me turn to her, and me seh me nah go a no ER,” he said.

His wife, he said, refused to share the matrimonial bed with him and opted to sleep on the sofa in protest of his refusal to seek professional help.

But soon, Hamilton would have no choice but to seek help as his immune system began to deteriorate and his temperature rose rapidly.

Two days later, he decided to follow his wife’s advice as diarrhoea set in.

“The next morning when I awoke, I said to myself, ‘Me a go dead, man,’ and I went to the emergency room,” he said.

Hamilton said the medical staff then informed him that he was dehydrated and that his kidneys had almost stopped working.

“It was a real scare because my blood pressure dropped even lower, and I am a person who suffers from high blood pressure. They also did a COVID test and sent me home,” he said.

Hamilton revealed that the test results did not come back until eight days later – consistent with concerns that there was a lag in the throughput of data.

The 52-year-old, who selfquarantined in his basement after returning from hospital, is still worried about his family.

“I could have infected all of them, and they have not yet been tested as they have shown no symptoms as yet,” he told The Gleaner.

He has since been cleared by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Hamilton also told The Gleaner that the in-law from whom he contracted the virus had suffered seriously and is also lucky to be alive.

“He was on the ventilator for days and was just released from hospital days ago,” he said.

Up to Sunday, there were 4,500 reported cases of coronavirus in North Carolina and 81 deaths.

‘When I got home, that’s when the fever start to wash me, and when my wife got home, she said she was taking me to the ER (emergency room). Me turn to her, and me seh me nah go a no ER . ... The next morning when I awoke, I said to myself, ‘Me a go dead, man,’ and I went to the emergency room.’