"You Don't Want This. It's Unlike Anything You've Ever Experienced Before."

COVID-19 patient shares his story to encourage others to get vaccinated.

Like many people who have contracted COVID-19, Craig Wilson has a simple message: get vaccinated.

It was Christmas Eve 2020 when Craig began to feel unwell. After being diagnosed with COVID-19, Craig spent nearly four months in hospital receiving both acute care and rehabilitation. At one point, his condition became so grave that he was on the cusp of death and his family prepared to say their goodbyes.

While Craig has made an incredible recovery from COVID-19, he has had ongoing health issues – often referred to as ‘Long COVID’ – as a result of his ordeal.

"I need dialysis three times a week because my kidneys failed while I was in hospital. As well, I require ongoing physical therapy to regain my strength, and I still become winded when I go up stairs,” Craig explains.

While Craig is unsure where he picked up the virus, one of his two sons, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter, who spent Christmas with him that year, also contracted it. Thankfully, they had far less severe cases, but Craig notes, “it was a still a really long haul for me and my family.”

Prior to contracting COVID-19, Craig, a retired Toronto Fire Captain, was an active man who enjoyed time with Mary, his wife of 42 years, his children, and four grandchildren, and he misses being able to do many of the activities he used to do. He wishes there were vaccines available before he became sick and urges everyone to be fully vaccinated. “By not being vaccinated against the virus, people are taking a risk,” Craig says. “You never know. You're gambling with your life. Everybody should get the vaccine.”

The care he received at Lakeridge Health has also left a real impression on Craig. “The staff and physicians were all so amazing – they saved my life during a really challenging time when they were also dealing with so much,” Craig explains. “Even now, when I go in for my treatments, I know I am getting top quality care and I am so thankful.”

Craig hopes sharing his story encourages more people to get vaccinated. “You don't want this. It’s not like anything you’ve had before. This is 100 times worse than anything you've ever experienced,” he shares. “I went through a lot, but there are many people who went through a lot more or didn’t come through it at all.”