Sam W Teen Rebounds Following Care for Long Covid

“Dr. Hasan went through every symptom he was experiencing and made it real. She listened. She was exactly what we needed after getting the diagnosis of long-haul Covid.”

Sam, our once amazingly social and extremely athletic 15-year-old, met Dr. Uzma Hasan, Division Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, when he was diagnosed with Covid for the third time in July of 2022. Dr. Hasan was a game changer for us. She took the time to listen to Sam - every single detail. Prior, many doctors had told us Sam was fine, and he would be better soon.

Dr. Hasan went through every symptom he was experiencing and made it real. She listened. She was exactly what we needed after getting the diagnosis of long-haul Covid. Not only has long-haul Covid affected Sam mentally, but socially as you can imagine. He sat home after his diagnosis for a month. It was not until his best friend Justin came home from summer camp that he finally had the energy to see friends.

To go back, during the summer of 2022, Sam was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. He was struggling with an extremely low heart rate for days and extreme fatigue and lethargy. He was diagnosed with Covid for the third time, leading to the long-haul Covid diagnosis.

We needed to treat the symptoms that Sam was experiencing. Why was his heart rate so low? Why the extreme fatigue and multiple naps a day? We needed a team of doctors that would listen to Sam and figure out the best path for his healing. Along with Sam’s doctors, we decided the best solution for him was to rehabilitate at the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center Rehabilitation center, located at the RWJBarnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center. For days and months on end, Sam spent time talking to physical therapists and trainers. He finally got on the treadmill and exercise bike and started lifting weights. It was a very slow process.

Sadly, Sam missed an entire season of basketball which was a huge detriment as he needed that season to get ready for his sophomore year of varsity basketball. Our vibrant boy, our freshman who made the varsity basketball team, was a hollow shell of himself. Our hearts were breaking for him and what he was going through. He sat the bench most of his sophomore year. Most of his junior season, he battled different health ailments including flare ups from mononucleosis and Epstein-Barr.

Illness affects Sam different - a common cold could sideline Sam for days and even weeks. Long-haul Covid is an invisible ailment. He feels like his body is not his sometimes, as the illness takes over and he just feels terrible. We are teaching Sam not to take life for granted. It’s hard. Sam is now a senior in high School. He is starting on the varsity basketball team and ‘knock on wood’ that we are off to a great season. College is in the future, and we could not be more proud of Sam and how much he has overcome and how is doing now.

-The Winitch Family

Learn more about Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center Rehabilitation Center.