I was working very hard, sometimes into the wee hours of the night. One morning I woke up dizzy and tried to make it to the bathroom when I fainted. My wife called Hatzalah.

My blood pressure was raised but otherwise my vitals were fine. They took me to the Jersey Shore ER where they immediately put me in ICU. I felt a bit fatigued but otherwise I felt fine.

They tried to stick the PCR Covid test up my nose but I refused. I had researched the PCR test and come to the conclusion it was unreliable, showing a lot of false positives. They insisted I take it so I asked them for a form that says I agree to the test. They could not produce one so they skipped the test. I never had Covid. I had been on Hydroxychloroquine since March of 2020. Even so, my Primary Care Physician forbid me to go back to work in the large supermarket where I spent 8 to 9 hours of my day. In the winter months I also put in another 4-5 hours on Motzei Shabbos. I asked him why. He told me that the store did not have barriers, did not enforce wearing masks or social distancing. I told him I had been taking Hydroxychloroquine and he said to me, that’s not enough. He knew that I suffered from Venal Thrombosis (a blood clot in my leg because of a previous fracture) as well as atrial fibrillation and a heart attack.

He told me, “You have a choice: 3 to 6 months or 120.”

I said I’ll take the 120. He gave me a blood test and it came back with a Vitamin D deficiency among other things. He told me I have a Vitamin D deficiency which is an absolute necessity for the immune system. He gave me a Prescription for 50,00 units of D3 to be taken once a week as well as an Rx for likely prostate problems.

Lucky for me, I have a NJ registered side business as well as the regular job so I was able to collect unemployment under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance so I wouldn’t have to take a penny from my frum employer. To leave the job and get the PUA I needed a letter from my PCP, who gave it to me.

Back to Jersey Shore, they kept me in ICU for a few days, they are required me to do that. I still refused to take the PCR test and they backed down. They checked my vitals every day and they were fine, even lying in that uncomfortable bed and not letting me out of it my pulse-ox was always at least 97 or above. They gave me an IV with only saline because I pulled the same schtick as the PCR test. I saw a vial of Remdesivir, that they were going to put in the IV on the nurses table for me, so I took it and threw it behind a closet. They never replaced it of said a word about it. I forgot to mention that I went to the hospital wearing my old military jump suit and sweatshirt which I sometimes wear as pajamas. They tried to give me the shot but I said you’ll have to clear that with my commanding officer and handed them my cellphone. They backed off. I researched the shot ad concluded it was not for me. I did not have Covid. Not even a sniffle. I could smell and taste everything, especially the horrid kosher meals which half the time they couldn’t get right.

They are required to keep me for 1 to 15 days but they wanted to get rid of me so they sent me to a rehab facility in Lakewood. Even though I was in solitary confinement I had a nice big room to myself with a fridge and Kosher microwave. The Kosher food was still lousy but Bikur Cholim came to the rescue during my 11 day sentence. They would bring me food from Pannini, Mike’s, Glatt Gourmet and Yussie’s. Each time leaving me with a menu to pick what I wanted.

It was weird to have to electric light bulbs for Shabbos and no hot food. But It was what it was. For the first few days I wasn’t allowed any visitors either. The nurses would wake me up at all hours of the night to check my vitals, which were all normal.

Finally, after the insurance company said times up, they rapidly discharged me 2 hours before Erev Shabbos into the snow. My wife picked me up and when we got home there were two large boxes from Bikur Cholim with freshly cooked and baked food that could feed the whole neighborhood.

Baruch Hashem, my “Covid” drama ended well. I don’t know if the hospital got their “commission” or not but I couldn’t care less.

I was home and could take it easy.

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