HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
COVID-19 — My Personal Battle from a Positive to a Negative Result Jeffrey L. Boney Shares His Personal Journey of Surviving the Coronavirus and Dealing with the Emotional and Mental Anguish Required to Overcome COVID-19
On Friday, March 27th, the journey towards fighting the Coronavirus had truly just begun. Not only did I have a severe case of pneumonia when I entered ICU,
Harlem Community Newspapers | May 21. 2020
By Jeffrey L. Boney, NNPA Newswire Contributor
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my liver and kidneys also needed
“Jeffrey, unfortunately, your test
my primary care physician, who
to be protected from the virus; my
came back positive for the Corona-
informed me that continuing to
heart rate was through the roof; my
virus.”
self-quarantine was probably the
Hearing those words from the
best option at the time, considering
doctor, March 27th, shook me to the
the symptoms I was experiencing.
core.
I decided to reach out to my good
Jeffrey L. Boney with his doctor Dr. Joseph Varon and his nurse Jerusha Brown Harshman
heart condition worsened and I was headed to the point of potential heart failure; my blood pressure was high; I had a sharp pain in my right side;
The journey for me started with
friend, State Representative Ron
to receive me and administer the
side awaiting word. The nursing staff
in the ICU. I was on a mental and
I continued to have heavy diarrhea
a very slight cough. On March 17th,
Reynolds to express my concerns
test. I was so relieved that I would
immediately went to work, initially
emotional roller coaster at this point.
episodes; and I still had a loss of ap-
I started experiencing internal di-
about my health status, as well as
be able to get tested and get a defini-
drawing blood and then taking some
I didn’t know how long I would be in
petite. Things were not looking good
gestive symptoms that I initially as-
get his advice on whether he thought
tive on whether I had contracted the
vitals at the order of Dr. Varon.
ICU, but more importantly, whether
for me and I felt horrible. I began to
sumed was a result of me not eating
I should go through one of the
COVID-19 virus or not.
As events would unfold, Dr.
I would make it out alive. I could not
wonder if I was ever going to get
anything that day. It was a Tuesday,
drive-thru testing sites that had re-
I arrived to UMMC and was met
Varon would turn out to be one of
help but think about the time in 2003
better.
which meant it was Press Day at the
cently opened. I desperately wanted
by Dr. Varon. He walked with me
the primary angels of medicine that
when my wife and I took my mom to
From the very beginning, I
Houston Forward Times, where I
to get tested, primarily for my peace
inside to the place where I was to
made the difference relative to my
the ER because she was ill. It was a
had to rely on my faith in God, as
serve as the Associate Editor. Now,
of mind, but also because I was con-
be tested, and he immediately tried
Coronavirus recovery efforts.
life-altering experience for me.
I continued to deal with the mental
it wasn’t uncommon for me to skip
cerned for my family. They were still
to put me at ease. I was told by Dr.
One of the first things Dr. Varon
After being seen by doctors in
anguish of being in this Coronavi-
breakfast and skip lunch in order to
living in the same house as me.
Varon that my test results would
ordered his medical staff to do with
the ER, the medical staff informed us
rus-specific ICU area, particularly
remain laser focused on getting the
I saw the news. I read the media
take anywhere from 24-48 hours to
me upon my arrival to the ER was
that my mom would need to be ad-
knowing that there were people
newspaper done. However, when I
reports online and on social media.
come back, so I waited patiently and
to do a CT Scan. For those who
mitted to address her serious health
around with breathing issues and
started feeling faint, I decided to get
It was clear, based on those reports,
eagerly.
may not know, a CT Scan is more
condition, which turned out to be
hearing machines go off all day and
something to eat.
that I was not displaying the type of
As anxious as I was to find out
detailed than a regular X-ray, and al-
worse than believed.
night, and as I regularly looked at the
I made my way down to the
respiratory symptoms that the ma-
the results on the following day, I
lows doctors to see inside your body
My wife and I decided to stay
news and read reports showing the
Reggae Hut around 5:30 pm and or-
jority of COVID-19 patients were
decided to give it another day.
by using a combination of X-rays
with her, but my mom kept telling us
number of people dying on a daily
dered the oxtails, rice and peas and
reported to have been experiencing,
On that Friday, March 27th,
and a computer to create images of
to go home, get some rest and come
basis as a result of the virus.
the vegetables, along with a beef pat-
such as shortness of breath or hav-
things took a drastic turn for the
your organs and other things inside
back the next morning. We stayed
I needed a miracle.
ty and a Kola Champagne to drink.
ing a heavy cough. There were also
worse, as it relates to my health. I
your body.
anyway. They moved her in the wee
Because I didn’t have any respi-
I made my way back down to my
reports that the only way a person
began to cough, and what I thought
Of course, I didn’t know why a
hours of the morning to a different
ratory issues, just digestive issues,
office with my plate and I ate a little
could be tested was if they were el-
would be regular phlegm coming
CT Scan was being performed on me
floor. It was then that I told her that I
it caused the doctors to develop a
bit of the rice and peas; a little of the
derly or a first responder. I was deep-
out, turned out to be a significant
at the time, nor did I know what the
was not be going very far, as I chose
treatment plan for me that was dif-
vegetables; and barely ate one of the
ly concerned.
amount of bright red blood. As this
end result would be. Let me just say
to sleep at my mother-in-law’s house
ferent than other patients they had
oxtails, before closing the container
A few days after my call with
continued to happen, I made the
that performing that CT Scan on me
because it was closer to the hospital
been treating prior to my arrival to
and putting the plate in the refrigera-
Rep. Reynolds, I received a call
decision to call Dr. Varon and share
was the best thing that could have
than my house was.
the hospital. Dr. Varon and Dr. Jo-
tor. That was the last time I saw that
on my cell phone from U.S. Con-
my update. After hearing my status,
ever happened to me, because it re-
As reluctant as I felt leaving my
seph Gathe, Jr. oversaw my care.
plate or my office.
gresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on
Dr. Varon implored me to come to
vealed something major that was go-
mom at that hospital, nothing com-
They created a whole Coronavirus
The next day, I not only had a
Wednesday, March 25th. She had
the UMMC Emergency Room (ER)
ing on inside my body that couldn’t
pares to the phone call I received
cocktail, which included heavy dos-
continuous loss of appetite, I also
heard I was experiencing a health
immediately, which I prepared to do.
be seen by looking at me from the
from the hospital, no more than five
es of Vitamin C, which was specific
had stomach pain and was expe-
challenge and asked me some ques-
Before I got off the phone with
outside. The CT Scan revealed that
minutes after I laid my head down on
to my treatment. Per Dr. Varon, my
riencing heavy and unusual bouts
tions. Congresswoman Jackson Lee
him, however, he hit me with the up-
my lungs showed a severe case of
the pillow. The nurse on duty called
case taught them that they must use
of diarrhea. I even had an episode
then immediately informed me that
date I was anxious to finally receive,
pneumonia, as well as other issues
to inform me that my mom had
high dose blood thinners on every
where I went to the bathroom and
she wanted me to come down to
but with some news I was definitely
involving my vital organs that came
stopped breathing and had slipped
Coronavirus patient admitted to the
while on the way, I passed out and
United Memorial Medical Center
hoping and praying not to hear. Dr.
as a result of the Coronavirus.
into a coma. I mean, right after I left.
hospital.
was disoriented. I woke up lying on
(UMMC) on Tidwell to get tested
Varon informed me that I had tested
the floor in a sweat, trying to figure
right away. I wasted no time. I asked
“POSITIVE” for the Coronavirus.
out what happened to me. I drank
the Congresswoman for the address
lots of water, tried natural remedies
and immediately got dressed to
and ceased all of my normal activi-
make my way to UMMC. As I was
three. My family is everything.
ties. None of that worked or changed
driving to the hospital, Congress-
Upon my arrival, there were two
my situation.
woman Jackson Lee told me that
large signs that said STOP. My wife,
I self-quarantined and self-iso-
she had already spoken to the Chief
who had followed me to the hospital,
lated for eight days – from Tuesday,
Medical Officer for United Memori-
March 17th to Wednesday, March 25th. During that time, I contacted
It was decided at that moment
They told me that there was a
After several days, my symp-
that I needed to be admitted to the
shift change and that my mom had
toms began to subside, and my ap-
I was shook. My family was
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) right
been given a specific medication,
petite came back in a major way. I
stunned. I am a married father of
away. It was then that I realized how
and by the time the new nurse on
longed for my breakfast, lunch and
serious things were, and it was the
duty went to check on my mom, they
dinner, and couldn’t wait to eat it. Dr.
moment that I knew that I was going
became aware of the situation.
Varon eventually informed me that
to have to rely on my faith in God.
I was devastated. I felt guilty. I
all of my vital organs had returned to
I called my wife to tell her I was
felt as if I was there, I could’ve possi-
normal and that my blood work and
was not allowed inside. I was met by
being admitted and informed her that
bly done something. Several months
vital signs were solid.
al Medical Center (UMMC), Dr. Jo-
medical staff and they ushered me
I was not going to be able to have
later, my mother passed away and I
seph Varon, and that he was prepared
into a room in the ER. She stood out-
any visitation throughout my time
never forgot that moment.
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