Eugene Johnson

I thought it as the flu. I started losing my ability to taste August of 2018 at that time I thought I had a summer cold. I had just gotten a job at KFC and everything was going well until was having dizzy spells and blacking out at work, in the shower, in bed. I thought it maybe low iron soon got iron pills.

By mid October I had to quit my job because It took me 3 hours to garner enough energy to walk 10 steps to the bathroom. By late November I was bed ridden and thought it was with the flu or an aggressive form of pneumonia and I still tried to move around the best I could. In those 4 months I went from 140 lbs to 94. At the time I was 27. I was admitted to the hospital the end of the 2nd week of the new year and coded.

I had to relearn how to walk and I deal with multiple side effect from surviving. I can’t go a day without a side effect bothering me: cognitive understanding, memory loss, chronic joint and muscle pain, hallucinations, severe anxiety, depression, etc. yes I’m still alive…but I miss the old me a lot. He was happier, this version lives in fear. I tell others my story not for them to pity me. But to take care of themselves. Clean that cut, go to the doctors, tell those you care about that you love them. I almost lost my life don’t be foolish and ignore the signs your body gives.