“Don’t wait until it’s too late”, Local woman says COVID-19 vaccine saved her life

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A local man is beginning to recover from COVID-19 after spending just over two months in the hospital.

His wife told Action News Jax the vaccine is the only thing that prevented her and their son -- from ending up in a hospital with him.

Action News Jax Courtney Cole shares the story that doctors told his wife, they can hardly believe.

“According to the doctors and nurses, his recovery is miraculous,” said Susan Rattan.

Susan said her husband Elton was admitted to the hospital on June 4th and spent most of June, July, and part of August in the hospital fighting COVID-19.

Rattan told Cole he was finally released from the hospital last Monday.

“He is doing so much better now, after two months being intubated,” Susan told Cole.

She said he’s now in respiratory rehab now, but also has to undergo occupational therapy to rebuild his muscles.

“They told me his lungs collapsed, it was inflamed. He had Covid pneumonia,” said Susan.

Susan said doctors were doing everything they could, but it was a battle.

“Some days we felt like he was going backward and then he would go up. It was fluctuating a lot.”

Susan says she credits prayer and the dedication of the doctors and nurses, that her husband is still alive.

“I called family members, friends, coworkers, everybody...text everyone. And we all just prayed and prayed and prayed like non-stop. And the nurses and doctors kept on going and kept on trying,” Susan said passionately.

She told Cole she is vaccinated along with her 18-year-old son. She said both of them were in close contact with Elton because they both had to take care of him. But they never got COVID-19.

“That’s one of the reasons he delayed taking it because he did not want to have side effects. But the side effects are nothing compared to what could be, without the vaccine,” Susan said.

She told Action News Jax they all wish that her husband took the COVID-19 vaccine sooner rather than later. Now her message to others is don’t wait until it’s too late.

“As soon as he is allowed to get a vaccine, he will be taking that.”

Susan explained to Cole that her husband was treated with convalescent plasma, so doctors say he has to wait a certain amount of time before he can get the shot.

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