YEAH, IT HAPPENS AFTER THEY
THINK THEY’VE RECOVERED FULLY.
ANDRE TAYLOR WAS SIDELINED BY
COVID BACK IN THE SPRING.
THE MARRIED FATHER OF FOUR SPENT
MORE THAN A MONTH IN THE
HOSPITAL BUT NEW PROBLEMS
CROPPED UP AFTER HE RETURNED
HOME.
PROBLEMS THAT LANDED HIM BACK IN
THE HOSPITAL REQUIRING SURGERY
FOR A POTENTIALLY
LIFE-THREATENING HEART
CONDITION.
[ APPLAUSE ]
STAFFERS AT MEDSTAR WASHINGTON
SPITAL CENTER LINED THE
HALLWAY TO CELEBRATE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUYS.
>> SO GOOD.
>> YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING.
THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: ANDRE TAYLOR WAS
FINALLY HEADING HOME.
THE D.C. RESTAURANT MANAGER
SPENT 38 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL.
MOST OF IT HOOKED UP TO A
VENTILATOR AS HE BATTLED
COVID-19.
HE SAYS IT STARTED WITH A HIGH
FEVER AND THEN WENT DOWNHILL
FAST.
>> IT HIT ME LIKE A TON OF
BRICKS AND WHEN I WENT TO
HOSPITAL CENTER, THEY TOOK MY
VITALS AND SAID YOUR HEARTBEAT
WAS GOING 160 BEATS A MINUTE.
WE CAN’T PUT YOU BACK OUT THERE.
IMMEDIATELYHED ME TO THE
BACK AND TEN MINUTES LATER I WAS
IN A COMA.
WHEN I WENT INTO A COMA, IT WAS
LIKE THE COVID DEATH COUNT IN
THE U.S. WAS, LIKE, 120 PEOPLE.
I WOKE UP, IT WAS 24,000.
I ACTUALLY LEARNED -- WHAT
HAPPENED?
AND THEN SHE TOLD ME THE DATE.
I WAS LIKE, IT’S APRIL?
>> Reporter: WHEN ANDRE LEFT THE
HOSPITAL, HE THOUGHT THE WORST
WAS OVER BUT MONTHS AFTER
RECOVERING FROM COVID, HE
STARTED EXPERIENCING NEW
SYMPTOMS.
>> I HAD DEVELOPED THIS FLUTTER
IN MY HEART.
AND THAT WAS KEEPING ME FROM
BEING ACTIVE OF ANY SORT.
>> Reporter:HAT FLUTTER WAS
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION.
AFIB.
HE SAID IT WAS EXHAUSTING AND
FRIGHTENING.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE’RE
STARTING TO OBSERVE IN OUR
PATIENTS IS AS A RESULT OF THE
CORONAVIRUS, THEY’RE HAVING
INFLAMMATION IN THEIR CARDIAC
TISSUE.
INSIDE OF THEIR HEARTS.
>> Reporter: DR. CYRUS HADADI IS
A CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIST AT
MEDSTAR WASHINGTON HOSPITAL SENT
E.
HE SAYS THAT INFLAATION CAN
ILL FILTRATEL
INFILTRATE THE HEART’S
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING AN
ABNORMAL HEARTBEAT.
HOW DOES A RESPIRATORY VIRUS
HAVE THAT KIND OF EFFECT ON YOUR
HEART?
>> WE THINK PART OF IT IS
BECAUSE THE LUNGS ARE SO CLOSE
TO THE HEART INSIDE THE CHEST
THAT THE DISEASE IN THE LUNGS
CAN DIRECTLY SPREAD INTO THE
SACK SURROUNDING THE HEART, THE
PARICARDIUM AND THERE INTO THE
HEART TISSUE, ITSELF.
>> Reporter: BECAUSE THE
CORONAVIRUS IS SO NEW, DOCTORS
ARE JUST BEGINNING TO LEARN
ABOUT THE LONG-TERM IMPACT AND
THE HEART DAMAGE IT CAN CAUSE
EVEN WEEKS OR MONTHS AFTER THE
INFECTION CLEARS.
FOANE, THE SOLUTION WAS
SURGERY.
IN SEPTEMBER HE HAD AN ABLATION,
A MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURE
THAT USES ENERGY SIMILAR TO
MICROWAVE HEAT TO DESTROY THE
DAMAGED
DAMAGED
DAMAGED HEART TISSUE THAT’S
CAUSING THE PROBLEM.
IT WORKED.
>> IMMEDIATELY WHEN I WALKED
HOME, I FELT BETTER.
I RAN UP A FLIGHT OF STEPS.
WAIT A MINUTE, AIN’T BEEN ABLE
TO DO THAT.
I’M 51, BUT I’VE ALWAYS FELT
LIKE I WAS 25.
BUT I CAME OUT TT HOSPITAL
FEELING LIKE I WAS 75.
I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO WALK
AGAIN.
SO I WILL SAY, SINCE MY SURGERY,
I FEEL LIKE I’M MY AGE NOW.
I’M GETTING BACK.
>> I’M HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT
ANDRE IS DOING GREAT NOW.
IN FACT, I SPOKE TO HIM LESS
THAN THREE WEEKS AFTER HE HAD
THAT HEART SURGERY.
DOCTORS BELIEVE A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF PATIENTS WILL DEVELOP
IRREGULAR HEART RHYTHMS AFTER A
BOUT WITH COVID AND THEY DON’T
KNOW WHY IT HAPPENS TO SOME
PEOPLE AND NOT TO OTHERS.
WENDY, THIS IS ONE OF THE
POSSIBLE LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DOCTORS
WILL BE WATCHING OUT FOR.
>> AND THAT’S WHY WE HAVE TO --
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO PLAY
AROUND WITH.
>> NO.
>> WE REALLY HAVE TO TAKE THIS
THING SERIOUSLY.
EVEN THIS FAR INTO IT, WHEN
PEOPLE ARE NOT -- SOME PEOPLE
DON’T HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS, IT’S
STILL NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO
TAKE LIGHTLY.
>> KEEP WEARING THE MASK.
>> YES.