WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The scariest night of Stephen Woodson's life began with a severe lack of energy.
"I was struggling to breathe, and I had gotten so out of energy and so disoriented," Woodson said. "At one point, I was crawling on the floor in the house. I didn't have any energy, and I was trying to get to the bathroom, and I'm trying to get something to drink, and it was a scary feeling that night."
His family was also terrified.
"Everybody was texting all night long," he said. "None of my family was really sleeping because they were worried about me."
When morning came, Woodson's brother called an ambulance. At this point, he said he was in immense pain all over.
"I feel like my nerves were just real hypersensitive and it was, it was tough," he recalled. "I tell people my teeth were hurting. My teeth, everything. I was hurting all over. I have never hurt like that before."
Woodson was in the hospital for four days, and he wasn't allowed any visitors. He also lacked an appetite. In a week, he lost 20 pounds.
"I just wasn't able to eat," he said. "I was just drinking fluid and water and orange juice and Sierra Mist for several days. [I] just didn't have the energy to eat."
This was Woodson's fourth hospital stay after being diagnosed with COVID-19 on October 4th. During his three previous visits, his symptoms were not as severe, so doctors sent him home to isolate.
After his harrowing hospital visits, he shared his thoughts on social media.
He said he wanted to be open about his experience so others can too. He said he doesn't want people to be ashamed of being positive, but instead, feel free to admit they have it and take the steps necessary to protect others, such as isolating and working with contact tracers.
Currently, Woodson is back home and feeling better. He is scheduled for a COVID-19 test on Wednesday. He is hoping for a negative result so he can see his family again.
