Crystal Park Covid-19 survivor warns of seriousness of disease

Crystal Park resident Peter Sithole (27) is grateful for a second chance at life after he tested positive for Covid-19 in July, 2020. He said he is sharing his road to recovery with the hopes that others will realise the disease is real and treat the virus seriously. The Global Direct Benoni branch manager tested positive for Covid-19 on July 8, 2020 after he went to two hospitals. He was put on a drip and discharged after a few hours. On July 9, he was then transferred from the Rynfield Hospital to a medical centre in Kempton Park. “I was weak. I couldn’t breathe and I didn’t even know who I was. I thought these were my last days on earth,” Peter said.

“I was then taken to the high care unit and I stayed there for nine days. I wasn’t eating. I was breathing through the machines and I thought I wouldn’t make it.”

After 11 days, he was able to breathe without assistance for about 30 minutes, and on the 12th day Peter was able to walk, although his leg muscles were weak and he had to learn to walk again. He was discharged from hospital at the end of July and doctors were pleased with his progress. “After I was discharged, I was able to breathe but not normally. I wasn’t supposed to exercise or do any heavy lifting and I had to sleep on my stomach. It was still difficult to eat and I found myself shivering now and again,” he explained. “It took me four weeks to fully recover. Now I can breathe better and do my daily routine without any difficulties.” Peter said through this journey his unborn child gave him the strength not to give up because, at the time, his partner, Mbalenhle Gontsana, was three months pregnant.

“I also thought of all my employees who depend on me. I told myself that I needed to fight. “I would encourage the public to get medical aid if you can afford one, as it made things easier for me and I had less to worry about while I focused on my recovery,” Peter said. He added that now he takes extra precautions to ensure that he doesn’t have to go through that scary experience again. “I fumigate my house every now again, I sanitise or wash my hands frequently and I take a lot of tablets to boost my immune system. “Although I am fully recovered, I still panic when I get a headache or a cough. “My advice to the public is that the virus is real and if you contract it you can die, just like that, if you don’t get proper treatment. “We all need to follow the regulations so we can keep our families safe.” Peter said he is grateful that he got a second chance as lots of people have lost their lives to the pandemic. “My focus now is to empower unemployed youth through my business and ensure they achieve their dreams, as I also started from the bottom,” he said. He added that he is thankful for the support he received from his partner, his aunt, Rose Sithole, and his friend, Sydwell Khoza.

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