Patient Profile: Ted Moskey

“I feel phenomenal,” says Ted Moskey, who recently recovered from COVID-19.

Ted remembers the exact date and time when his wife convinced him that he should go to the hospital. It was November 6, 2020 at 7:45 p.m. He’d tested positive for COVID-19. He had a persistent cough, fever and was having difficulty breathing, even after trying over-the-counter remedies. “I even tried Vicks VapoRub, the old fashioned cure,” Ted says.

From the moment his wife brought him to the Middlesex Health Emergency Department in Middletown, Ted says that his experience was outstanding. “The emergency room doctor was excellent and told me that ‘we have a handle on this thing. We won’t need to intubate you,’” he says.

In addition to having COVID-19, an X-ray of Ted’s lungs showed pneumonia, and the doctor told him that he would need to be admitted to the hospital. “I was not surprised,” he says. “I couldn’t breathe. I could handle a couple of days in the hospital. They sent my wife home, and that was difficult to say the least.”

In the hospital, Ted was placed on oxygen and given steroids to reduce swelling and aid his breathing. He was also offered the option of receiving convalescent plasma, which contains antibodies that can help COVID-19 patients. The plasma is donated by patients who have fully recovered from COVID-19, and Ted agreed to receive it. “I’m all in,” he remembers saying. “Let’s do this.”

Ted received one infusion of plasma on November 7 and experienced improvement within 24 hours.

“He was out of bed and exercising following the infusion,” says Dr. Alina Filozov, Chief of Infectious Disease at Middlesex Health. “We are very optimistic about the use of convalescent plasma. It is better to give it as soon as possible, and we are monitoring patients for all side effects.”

Ted says that every detail of his care at Middlesex Health was top notch. “Everybody stepped up to the plate,” he says. “I wanted to know what was going on and everything was explained to me. The doctors, nurses, patient care techs, transportation guys, security, everyone was great. I had a nice room, very clean. The food was really good.”

Despite being well cared for, Ted was eager to leave the hospital. “I was motivated to get on the other side of my hospital door and get back home,” he says. “It was tough to be away from family. I’m a people person. I like to talk to people, and it was difficult to be alone in the hospital. Usually, you can have visitors. I was texting and talking with my wife and family, but that wasn’t the same as being with them.”

Ted was discharged after spending four days at Middlesex Hospital.

“I took a month off from work to build up my strength,” he says. “If you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything. It’s true that when you get sick, you appreciate the little things.”

After his experience battling, and recovering from, COVID-19, Ted wants to give back. ”I want to donate plasma for someone else,” he says. “If I could help someone else, that’s what I want to do.”

For more information about COVID-19, click here. 

 

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