Mike Schultz, a 43-year-old nurse from
San Francisco, has shared photos of the devastation COVID-19, the
disease caused by the new coronavirus, had on his body.
Schultz told BuzzFeedNews that he
worked out regularly and had no underlying health conditions before
he got sick.
In early March, Schultz and his
boyfriend, 29-year-old DJ Josh Hebblethwaite attended the Winter
Party Festival in Miami Beach, a circuit party that Hebblethwaite was
working at. The annual party attracts thousands of people to the area
for a week of events. At least 39 people who attended the Winter
Party became ill and three men died.
The following week, while visiting his
boyfriend in Boston, Schultz became sick with a high fever and had
difficulty breathing. Hebblethwaite also became ill.
Schultz was hospitalized and had to be
intubated for four and a half weeks.
Last week, Schultz shared on Instagram
before and after photos of the dramatic toll the illness had taken on
his body. The ordeal left Schultz, who lost 50 lbs, looking
emaciated.
“I wanted to show everyone how badly
being sedated for 6 weeks on a ventilator or intubated can be,” he
captioned the photo. “Amongst other things, covid19 reduced my lung
capacity with pneumonia. Over 8 weeks I've been away from family and
friends. Getting stronger every day and working to increase my lung
capacity. I'll get back to where I was in healthier ways this time …
maybe even do cardio.”
Schultz said that he and Hebblethwaite
received some negative criticism online for attending the Winter
Party.
“The negative stuff bothers me,” he
said. “But it doesn't bother me that much, because I've gotten
so much positive feedback.”