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Sydney lawyer with Covid-19 delivers plea from hospital bed

A high-profile Sydney lawyer has urged the community to get vaccinated after he caught Covid-19 a week before he was due to get his first jab.

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A high-profile Sydney lawyer has urged the community, from a hospital Covid-19 ward, to get vaccinated after he was a week too late.

“My advice to the community is you don’t want to see a loved one, family or friend go through this,” Ahmed Dib told The Daily Telegraph from Concord Hospital.

“Absolutely get vaccinated. And although restrictions are difficult and you feel it inhibits your liberty, it’s much better than being in hospital on oxygen, a drip and steroids.”

Ahmed Dib, 32, was rushed to hospital on Tuesday afternoon struggling to breathe. Picture: Supplied/Ahmed Dib
Ahmed Dib, 32, was rushed to hospital on Tuesday afternoon struggling to breathe. Picture: Supplied/Ahmed Dib
Mr Dib in Concord Hospital.
Mr Dib in Concord Hospital.

The 32-year-old — who lives in a hotspot and fell sick last week — was booked to have his first jab this week.

The lawyer for Dib & Associates has represented many high-profile clients including former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer, prison escapee and bank robber John Killick and notorious criminal Robert Kidd.

Mr Dib, who is a professional boxer on the side, said he experiencing hot and cold flashes while working from home, before testing positive last Thursday.

Outside court in better days.
Outside court in better days.
Dib leaving court. Picture: Justin Sanson
Dib leaving court. Picture: Justin Sanson

He quickly deteriorated and was rushed to hospital at 5pm on Tuesday after he started coughing up blood.

“I was having piercing headaches, like knives were trying to break through my skull,” he said.

“My sheets were saturated with sweat. I had terrible diarrhoea. Then the cough started and I couldn’t breathe and I didn’t know what to do.”

He remains in a stable condition. sharing a room with three other Covid-19 patients.

Mr Dib — who does not yet know how he contracted the highly-contagious virus — said it has been the hardest thing he has gone through, mentally and physically.

“There’s times when you want to give up. You’re tired, sore and can’t sleep. It’s not a good feeling,” he said.

“I’ve had broken bones but this is by far the toughest thing I’ve gone through.”

He said he hoped talking about the virus would help people understand how contagious it really was.

“A lot of people I knew were skeptical about Covid because they didn’t know anyone with it. But I hope this will show them it’s real and it’s not a good feeling. It’s so easy to catch. I thought I’d be sweet.”

Mr Dib said he waited two-and-a-half minutes on the phone to emergency, while he was coughing “his lungs up”.

After he was picked up by an ambulance, he was forced to wait on a stretcher for an hour, while they found a room for him.

“There’s definitely pressure on the health system. They’re so busy. The paramedics and staff are amazing but unbelievably busy,” he said.

He was thankful for the selfless acts of hospital staff, including a special nurse in his ward called ‘Sarah’.

“She was in this room 20 times on the graveyard shift answering our questions. She’s made the process 10 times better. Helped me go to the toilet and back,” he said.

“You genuinely feel like she cares. Nurses like her are really helping the system.”

Mr Dib’s worried parents are based in QLD, with his father continuously calling and texting to make sure his son’s okay.

With Covid restrictions, the family will have to speak from a distance.

“It’s breaking my heart my son’s so sick and can’t be with me,” one message to his son read.

He hopes to be on the mend soon, but only time will tell.

“A guy was on his 14th day today and went to the intensive care unit,” Mr Dib said.

“A doctor told me there was a 40 percent chance I’ll get worse. He said he was just being honest with me. It’s a really unpredictable virus.”

Originally published as Sydney lawyer with Covid-19 delivers plea from hospital bed

Read related topics:COVID-19 Vaccine

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/coronavirus/sydney-lawyer-with-covid19-delivers-plea-from-hospital-bed/news-story/87b9284bc74740f6cc82f7cf634dbf91