By Kelly Lucas
FIT, forty-three and father to four, Grant Hicks is still battling the after effects of contracting Covid-19 at the end of August this year.
Grant Hicks and his wife Nat are active community members who participate in several local groups including the Shepparton Running Club and it’s pretty safe to say, that both are fit and healthy people. Nat had been fully vaccinated and over a span of five weeks in quarantine with their kids also testing positive to Covid-19, she did not contract the virus at all.
Their children showed just minor symptoms like a general cold but unfortunately for Grant, things took a turn for the worse and he ended up in hospital twice. The first time it was with a heart rate over one hundred beats per minute, irregular heart pulses, headaches, shaking and a burning chest. The second time was when things got scary for Grant and his family when he was rushed by ambulance to GV Heath with fluid on his lungs which had turned into pneumonia, that is where he remained for the following four days until released.
“I always intended to get vaccinated, but I didn’t see myself as a vulnerable person, so I put it back to allow others in need to go first,” said Grant Hicks.
Grant, who is now fully vaccinated and on the road to recovery which has been somewhat of a challenge, mentioned how amazing the support was while they fought the unknown. “The community, our friends, family and my wonderful wife Nat gave me hope, strength and kept my mind positive, I am pleased to be back at work, back running and back into routine, just not as far or as fast at the moment but I’m confident I’ll get back there,” said Grant Hicks.
Physiotherapy on Grant’s lungs was needed to get him back on track, but he still suffers from chest tightness to this day. “If you’re in a position where nothing is stopping you from being vaccinated then just go and get it done,” said Grant.
