Virus survivor’s heartbreaking plea to Victorians
A coronavirus-stricken father who endured relentless coughing fits, sweats and spent two weeks in a coma close to death says Victorians need to take this killer threat seriously before it takes more lives.
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A man who spent 72 days in hospital fighting for his life with coronavirus has issued a desperate plea to Victorians — follow the rules.
Michael Rojales, 46, was in a coma for two weeks, relied on a ventilator to breathe and said having the killer virus was like being trapped underwater.
In a heartbreaking interview with the Sunday Herald Sun, Mr Rojales told how the virus also struck his wife Rachel and her mother in-law, who died on the phone with his wife Rachel as she too battled corona in hospital.
“People aren’t taking it seriously,’’ Mr Rojales said.
“It felt like drowning.
“When you reach the surface you are gasping for air.
“Then you go under the water again.”
Mr Rojales, from Berwick in Melbourne’s southeast, fell ill while self-isolating at home having returned from a work conference in South Africa.
Four people in hazmat suits had escorted a passenger off his plane.
The virus-stricken father endured relentless coughing fits, sweats and was admitted to hospital on March 25. Four days later he was put in an induced coma at Monash Medical Centre in Clayton — his lungs and kidneys failing and his body beset with pneumonia and anaemia.
He relied solely on a ventilator to breathe.
“It got so bad that they actually told my wife to prepare for the worst — that she should think about saying goodbye,’’ Mr Rojales said.
“I had no idea what was happening. It was just a horrible feeling.”
Mr Rojales’ wife, 49, was admitted to hospital with coronavirus the day after he was moved to intensive care — staying in the very room her soulmate of 25 years had left vacant.
She had a fever, difficulty breathing and chest pains.
The following day Mr Rojales’ 84-year-old mother-in-law Gely Costanilla — who lived with the couple and their 19-year-old daughter Megan — was admitted to Casey Hospital with COVID-19.
She died six days later.
“The nurse called me before 9 o’clock and she asked would I like to speak to my mum,’’ Ms Rojales said.
“The nurse was holding my mum’s hand and the phone was on speaker.
“I was just saying: ‘Mum — I love you. Be strong’.
“Then I said to her: ‘Let me pray for you’.
“As soon as I said that she just passed away. She heard my voice. She closed her eyes. And when she opened them she was with God.”
Mr Rojales, a pastor at Berwick Church Of Christ, improved when turned on his stomach.
He woke from his coma on Easter Sunday unaware coronavirus had devastated those he loved most.
His daughter remained alone at home having watched ambulances take away her parents and grandmother, and fearing the house was riddled with coronavirus.
Mr Rojales — given the all-clear five weeks after his diagnosis — returned home last month.
He requires crutches because of nerve damage to his left leg and muscle weakness. An asthmatic, there is no permanent damage to his lungs.
“I feel blessed. I feel like I have been given a second chance,’’ Mr Rojales said.
“They called me the miracle boy at the hospital.
“I wasn’t ready to go.”
He added: “Corona is real.”
“The restrictions are a good thing,’’ he said
“I support all those things because of what has happened to us.
“We do not want anyone to go through what we’ve been through.
“It’s horrible.”
Monash Health infectious diseases consultant Dr Rupa Kanapathipillai said Mr Rojales was on the brink of death.
“Honestly my impression seeing him on the ward round was that this man was going to die in the next 24 hours,’’ she said.
“It’s horrifying and it’s incredibly confronting. How quickly people decline is staggering. We are foolish if we think this is an inconsequential infection.
“Yes it’s frustrating Melbourne has to go back into lockdown.
“But the option of this not being contained is far more frightening.”