A Very COVID Christmas: How to Celebrate Safely
Read More
Dr. John Mainiero, a chiropractor in 27 years in Vineland, always considered himself to be a very healthy person.
“I never thought in a million years that I would contract the COVID-19 virus. Even though I knew it was out there and we took all the major precautions to avoid it. It got me,” he shared.
Three days after Thanksgiving, on a Sunday, he woke up feeling good. Only hours after he enjoyed a breakfast outside with his wife, his breathing became labored and he got a dry cough. He used his own pulse-oximeter and it showed his oxygen saturation went from 88 to 72 in 30 minutes.
Minutes after his wife called 911, his heroes, the first responders, appeared and transported him to Inspira Medical Center Vineland. Dr. Mainiero recalls a day when his oxygen level was so low, the staff urgently assembled to turn him onto his stomach (called proning) to aid his breathing. It was a scary situation for him, and he recalled, “a nurse held my hand as I cried.”
His “angels,” as he referred to his doctors and nurses considered putting him on a ventilator but the proning and other assistive breathing equipment improved his dire condition. His treatment also included Remdesivir, the convalescent plasma, steroids and blood thinners
By December 20, Dr. Mainiero was discharged to home on oxygen. In time to celebrate his son’s 12th birthday with a sushi dinner.
He noted that he shared his story, not for sympathy, but to educate people that COVID-19 should not be taken lightly.
