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Patients receive long-term treatment to recover from effects of coronavirus

Felicia Bolton

Posted: NOV 22, 2020 / 07:22 AM CST | Updated: NOV 22, 2020 / 07:22 AM CST

WALLINGFORD, Conn. (NewsNation Now) — Doctors at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Connecticut have created a program to treat patients dealing with the lingering effects of coronavirus.

For many COVID-19 patients, the joy of testing negative is often overshadowed by the remaining symptoms of the disease. With the help of doctors, patients are able to slowly return to a ”normal” life.

Vic Gara says his recovery is still in the works today.

“I don’t have a recall of that at all because I was so hypoxic,” said Gara. “My lungs had pneumonia, I couldn’t breathe very well so my brain didn’t get a lot of oxygen unfortunately.”

During challenging physical therapy sessions, he is learning how to use his arms and feet again. The 56-year-old father of two says he contracted COVID-19 in March.  He was taken to the ER twice; then rushed to the ICU in late March. He says for 11 days he was on a ventilator and for a month he could not see his family.

Even after beating the disease, he still felt sick.