Barrie PSW reflects on his battle with COVID-19
A former PSW at a Roberta Place in Barrie is reflecting on his battle with COVID-19 one year later.
Edwin Ng, a former PSW at the Barrie long-term care home, spent five months in hospital with COVID-19.
In late 2020, a COVID-19 outbreak tore through the long-term care home with 200 infections and claimed the lives of 71 residents.
Ng tested positive for the virus three days after receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"When I finished my shift around 10, I started feeling sick, and I had the symptoms," Edwin said. "I thought it was just because of the side effects of the shot, but it got worse, and I never looked back. I developed fevers and chills and whatnot."
Edwin said he found his health was steadily declining.
"That day when I told my wife, I went down and said 'I can't breathe anymore,'" Edwin explains.
Edwin's wife, Samantha, went to call the ambulance.
"I said to her you know if I'm going to be going now, it will be a while before I could come back," he said.
Edwin was taken to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and was then transported to Toronto General Hospital, where he was put into an induced coma.
Edwin credits his survival to his faith and the support of his family and friends. Still to this day, Edwin is immunocompromised.
"He's never going to be the same. It's life-changing," Samantha said. "There's always that risk of being immunosuppressed now, he can't get sick. We have to be extra careful around him. We can't bring anything home."
Edwin says he is concerned about the easing of COVID-19 restrictions that could put lives like his in danger.
"Without wearing masks, without any protection. It's too soon. It's too soon."
Edwin is taking things one day at a time.
"I'm always thinking about looking at the positive side. At least I'm with the family. It could be worse. God gave me a chance to extend my life."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.