Shannon Hicks
COVID-19
Shannon Hicks is an avid golfer, father of four daughters and recently started going back to school to become a paralegal. He recently went on a weekend trip to visit family in Houston. As someone who had stayed vigilant in his COVID-19 safety precautions, Shannon was hesitant to go out dinner at a restaurant. However, he reluctantly went along with the rest of his family. When he saw how crowded the place was, he had a bad feeling.
After coming back to Dallas, Shannon started to feel sick the following week and eventually went to an urgent care where he tested positive for the virus. He became so fatigued that he was sleeping around the clock. A few days later, Shannon was taken to the emergency room where he was immediately admitted to the ICU.
Shannon was awake and coherent the first few days in the ICU, but without warning his condition took a turn for the worse. His lungs and kidneys began to shut down and had to be placed on a ventilator. At one point, Shannon went into cardiac arrest. His heart went without a beat for seven minutes.
The next time Shannon opened his eyes, he saw was his sister and fiancé on an iPad screen. Hospital staff had set up the video conferencing so his family could talk to Shannon as they hoped and prayed for a sign of life. Miraculously, they were able to witness him waking up from a coma. An entire month had gone by.
Shannon still had a long recovery ahead of him. He was unable to walk, his voice was damaged, and his endurance and strength were depleted. He chose Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation – Fort Worth (BSWIR – Fort Worth) for the next step.
Upon arrival, Shannon’s team immediately started to work on mobility focusing on leg strengthening exercises and re-training his muscles. Gradually, he built up the endurance to go over 600 feet in one physical therapy session.
Speech therapy was key in restoring Shannon’s voice after being placed on a ventilator not once, but twice. Also vital to his recovery were his occupational therapists who helped him rebuild endurance to independently complete daily activities and self-care.
Shannon also gives credit to his family and friends and the constant prayers, stating “They’re a huge part of my recovery. They’ve been very supportive. They created a nation-wide prayer circle for me.”
Upon discharge, Shannon shared that he plans pick back up where he left off in his studies to finish his education to become a paralegal.
Learn more about inpatient rehabilitation.