'This virus is vicious': Rams Mabote on his bruising battle with Covid-19

“You will cough, cry, battle to breathe and literally go mad. Even if you survive it, you would have tasted its wrath.”

These are the words of media personality Rams Mabote after a bruising physical and mental battle with Covid-19.

Mabote penned a note on his struggle with the virus, which at times made him unable to eat, in a post on Facebook. He ends it with a message for us all: “Wear that mask. For God's sake, wear that mask. And keep that social distance.”

Below is his story, in his own words, republished with his permission:

Today I take back control of my life. Although with care, caution and baby steps. But I am deciding to live again.

Sixteen days ago I developed what I suspected was flu. And two days later I took a Covid-19 test. I was positive. Not that I didn't trust it, but the same afternoon I took a second one. The result was confirmed. And thus the period of self-isolation began.

The first few days were uneventful. I was fine, just coughing. But things changed by day 8. All the isolation, rest, liquids, medications and herbs notwithstanding, my chest was burning like a brazier, I was completely fatigued, I couldn't eat.

I had been strong — trust me, I had been — but this time I was losing my strength. By day 10 the healing was not in my hands any more. And it sure felt like it was not even in the hands of the experts. I came to the realisation that surviving this was just luck of the draw. It is not even survival of the fittest, because if that mattered, I'd have had a better chance than most.

But I still consulted. My doctor and friend prescribed something strong, very strong. I wanted to live, but I was losing the mental battle. I was checking out. I did not want one more moment of pain. I didn't want to die and I was not even wishing for death. I was just crying for healing. But if I couldn't find it, l was begging to be saved from the pain. No-one deserves such a gruesome an ordeal. I have fought many fights, but this one felt beyond me.

Yet I wanted to survive for my children. They'd be devastated without me. I wanted to live for my mother. This would kill her, literally. I wanted to get up and continue on my comeback. I wanted to get up for special people in my life, who dropped everything and risked their own health to care for me, for those who rallied and supported me in my worst period. And I cannot thank them enough.

Those who brought me medication and herbs, those who sent goodies, those who shared tips, those who cooked, those who called daily, and those who prayed. You kept my grave open.

It is still a long road ahead before I am 100%, before I can see and hug my children, before that first walk (I doubt I will run soon), before that first golf game — maybe on a cart first. But today I kick the blankets off, still with shortness of breath and some lingering cough.

I want you to take it from me: take care of yourselves. This virus is vicious. It attacks every faculty. You will cough, cry, battle to breathe and literally go mad. Even if you survive it, you would have tasted its wrath.

Keep safe. Sanitise. Wear that mask. Wear that mask. For God's sake, wear that mask. And keep that social distance.

TimesLIVE