Brevard County man, 21, beat COVID-19 only to suffer delayed complications

Spencer Rollyson said he had a minor case of COVID-19 in May. The 21-year-old Brevard County man bounced back to what seemed to be good health in two weeks. 

“I was a little lethargic and tired,” said Rollyson. “I thought it was a joke like people were freaking out for no reason.” 

Two weeks after he recovered and got a negative test result his mindset quickly changed. Rollyson’s condition took a turn for the worse and was rushed to AdventHealth East Orlando. He said he ended up in an intensive care unit bed and couldn’t breathe on his own. 
 
“All my organs were shutting down,” Rollyson said. “I had heart failure, respiratory failure, the rest of my organs were all inflamed.” 

Rollyson said that doctors tell him he got so sick because his immune system was weak from battling COVID-19. Recently married, Rollyson was worried he might leave his wife behind. 
 
“I thought I was going to die and leave my wife behind after just five months,” Rollyson said. “It was definitely scary because as I was sitting there trying to breathe, trying my hardest, I couldn’t breathe.” 

Dr. Jason Littleton, of of Littleton Concierge Medicine, says the long-term effects of COVID-19 are still unknown, but that the virus does make you vulnerable.

People right now are experiencing a myriad of side effects and short term versus long term ramifications from COVID-19 and we’re just learning these things,” said Dr. Littleton. “People are suffering from tissue damage and they’re also suffering from a weakened immune system.”
 
Luckily, Rollyson has recovered again but is now warning others to protect themselves. 
 
“Take it seriously, it’s always better to take precaution than have what happened to me wind up to you,” Rollyson said. “Do you really want to bet your life on it? I would just take things seriously.”