‘I’m Happy I Survived’

I'm Ambrose Warborg from Brookings, South Dakota. Me and my wife, we've been here about...oh, since 1971 we've lived in Brookings. What I enjoy? Oh, sitting around, playing my fiddle. That's about all I do in the winter, read books and stuff.

What were your COVID-19 symptoms?

I got kinda achy, and started aching, and felt like I had a cold, and I had...my muscles ached and stuff. It's, like, my arms and stuff, you couldn't hardly move them. It hurt, and you just ached all over, you know, and you just felt like you had an old flu. My wife had it a week before this, and so, we kinda figured it was, you know, the COVID.

When did you go to the hospital?

My wife gave me a sponge bath at home before she called the ambulance. I don't have no recollection of that whatsoever, and the first day or two in there I don't remember ever being in there. It was just, like, a blank.

How long were you hospitalized?

They had me in IC, intensive care for two days, and then, nine days in the hospital.

How was your stay at Brookings Health System?

The nice, kind, care I got up in the hospital, they were really caring and good people to you. I didn't get one person that was crabby or, you know, they were always nice and pleasant towards me.

How did home health help your recovery?

Well, she came and took my vital signs, and all that stuff like that. That's about what she did, you know, she was a nice lady. She was a very kind person and stuff. I thought that was a good program.

How is your recovery?

I'd sit in my easy chair, and I'd no more than sit there, and I could sleep, and I'd sleep all night, and you'd sit in that chair, and you're tired. You're tired. I'm just getting now that I'm not so tired any much more, you know, I don't sleep so much during the day often.

What advice would you give someone with COVID-19 symptoms?

I think they should take care of it right away. If they got a symptom, go and have it checked out and make sure because the quicker you check it, the quicker you get on top of it, I think. I don't think I'd ignore it for two days either now, you know, what I know what I know.

What advice would your give to someone hesitant about getting the COVID vaccine?

I'd tell them, "If you had it, you'd think differently if you ever had it." Because I'd tell them, it's nothing like... I've had flues, but this, I've never had nothing like this in my life. Well, I'm happy that I survived it because look at the people that don't survive.

Have you been able to play fiddle since your hospital release?

I tried it the day I came home. I tried a simple song, I remember the first one, "River Rally" and I kinda had a little trouble with it, but they're coming back pretty good now.

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