Moultonborough man home after bout with COVID-19

MOULTONBOROUGH — Robert White still gets winded easily and the normally active man is following doctor’s orders to conserve his energy. But that’s a far sight better than where he was a couple of weeks ago, when an illness caused by the novel coronavirus was threatening his life.

White, according to Helen, his wife of 36 years, was in Lakes Region General Hospital from March 30 to Wednesday, April 15, and he required intensive care such as a ventilator and a feeding tube.

Robert, who is from Meredith, and Helen, who comes from Sandwich, have lived on Sheridan Road in Moultonborough since 1995. Helen runs a dog boarding business there, and Robert, 70, works part-time for the town’s Department of Public Works.

“He loves his job, and the people,” Helen said. They don’t travel much, and they tend to be homebodies, so when he started to get flu-like symptoms in the last week of March, they didn’t suspect that COVID-19 was a possibility. They figured he’d get a good night’s rest and feel better the next day.

In fact, the opposite happened. On March 30, his symptoms worsened to the point where they called an ambulance to take him to the emergency department.

“He was weak, feeling really bad,” Helen said. They found out the next day that it was COVID-19. He has diabetes, and a heart condition, which puts him at particular risk. The virus took advantage. “He went downhill unbelievably fast,” she added.

Robert was intubated and on a ventilator, and also required a feeding tube. “He was a sick man,” Helen said, but she couldn’t be with him. Because of her exposure to him, she had to quarantine herself at home, and no one was permitted into the ICU to visit him.

“The feeling of not being able to go be with him, while he’s so sick, that made it worse,” Helen said.

Hospital staff did what they could to connect them, facilitating FaceTime calls and keeping Helen up to date on his condition. “They were wonderful at the hospital, above and beyond,” she said. “They would give me updates, but that wasn’t the same (as seeing him). And I was on quarantine, so nobody could come see me.”

She said she spent much of the first weeks of April praying, and felt like those prayers were answered on Wednesday, when she was able to see her husband in their home again.

It will be a while yet before they can get back to the activities they love. They ride motorcycles, take their camper out, go four-wheeling. Robert is also an avid golfer. He’s not ready for any of that yet.

“It affected his lungs, it really got a hold of his lungs. He’s on oxygen, for him to sit still is difficult, he’s used to being on the move. He’s really active, but he knows his limits,” she said.

“It’s going to be a long road, but I’m thankful that he’s with me and that he’s home.”

There were some troubling times in the beginning of the month. Three times, Helen said, she got calls from the hospital staff telling her that he had taken yet another turn for the worse, and that she should let their family know.

That leads her to the first of three things she takes away from the experience. First, for anyone who is ill or who might become infected: “Don’t give up. We had days when it was just horrible, but don’t give up.”

The second was for the loved ones of people affected, whether they’re in the ICU or quarantined at home. Even if you can’t visit in person, find a way to reach out. “Just knowing that they’re there and that you can talk to someone.” The friends and family members who sent her their love, she said, “they really pulled me through.”

Lastly, appreciation for the people who cared for her husband: “The ICU team and Lakes Region General Hospital is phenomenal. I can’t say enough good, they’re the ones that brought him home. He was a sick person… The love and care that they gave him, I don’t think that you’d find it anywhere else.”