Covid scare: ‘It hit me like a train’
Jason Ryan’s voice breaks discussing his ordeal with Covid19 late last year.
The 45-year-old Crusaders assistant coach got so sick with the virus ahead of the Eight Nations tournament in November, he gave doctors phone numbers for loved ones in case he took a turn for the worse.
Indeed, having accepted a role as Fiji forwards coach under fellow Kiwi Vern Cotter, his first gig with the Pacific Island nation turned into a heck of a scare for Ryan and his family.
‘‘It’s pretty hard [to talk about]. It was a tough old time,’’ Ryan told Stuff, pausing for a moment.
‘‘It was scary, real scary.’’
He was one of 29 players and staff who tested positive in the Fiji team at their base in Limoges, France, and initially felt fine.
However, that soon changed for the man who has helped the Crusaders win four straight Super Rugby titles as their forwards coach.
‘‘It was probably day four or five, it just hit me. It hit me like a train,’’ Ryan said. ‘‘The next four or five nights I was sweating. There was one stage I changed the sheets three or four times a night, it was just awful.
‘‘It was like my body was just shutting down. I was walking around like an old man.’’
Ryan’s breathing became so problematic – he felt like he could only draw about a quarter of a usual breath – he was sent for a heart scan. It was then that he gave doctors phone numbers for loved ones.
‘‘I don’t know if it was pain or more frightened. I knew it wasn’t right, and then you get a little bit scared and think ‘s...! Am I going to get any worse?’.’’
Fortunately, scans came back clear and Ryan returned to the team’s hotel to continue his recovery.
‘‘The Fiji doctor was phenomenal. He told me my body was fighting it naturally and in a few days I’d get through it. He was right,’’ Ryan said.
He went on to recover in time for Fiji’s lone game – a 38-24 win against Georgia – having forfeited games against France, England and Scotland after Covid-19 swept through the team.
Only two of Fiji’s 42-strong squad didn’t contract the virus.
Ryan requested a 24-hour Covid-19 test before returning home before Christmas, and received a negative result while at Heathrow Airport in London.
‘‘It was pretty special coming home and seeing my family,’’ Ryan said, having put a stop to face-to-face video calls with them when he was at his worst.
He has no lingering side effects from his ordeal, but it did take time getting used to being close to people again, given he was isolated for weeks.
He’s also got a newfound respect for the virus, which continues to rage around the world.
‘‘We are so lucky in New Zealand. We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing, and be better at it.’’