CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Dudley Hiles was like any 56-year-old. He enjoyed spending time with his family and working at the local manufacturing plant. But his life was put on hold for 48 days as he battled coronavirus in the hospital.
"It was a pretty scary time," said Hiles. "I was kind of in a dream state. At times I did know that I was in trouble. I think at some point, I knew that I was dying. I remember somebody whispering in my ear, I don't know if it was a doctor or a nurse, but I knew I was in trouble."
Hiles began his fight against COVID-19 on March 26. He had visited the hospital two previous times, feeling terrible, but was unable to get tested. Finally, after faking he was suicidal, he was admitted to the emergency room and tested for coronavirus. He tested positive, and was quickly sent up to the critical care unit and put on a ventilator to help him breathe. Hiles spent nearly a month on a ventilator in a medically-induced coma.
At one point, doctors believed his family should begin preparing for his funeral because recovery didn't seem likely. He said the plug was pulled, but after 45 minutes, he suddenly woke up.
"I came out!" said Hiles. "45 minutes and I was looking at my kids on the phone. I didn't realize I had been out for 30 days. They seemed very happy to see me. It was a festive time, let's say that."
Hiles said after that, recovery was quick. He needed therapy to learn how to walk again. And he needed to understand what had happened to him.
"I did a lot of fact-finding," said Hiles. "I didn't think I had really experienced something miraculous until the doctors and nurses started repeating, hey, no way you should have come out of that...it was just bad news after bad news. I gathered all of that, and I saw what they went through. They had the date set up and everything."
Hiles was released from Mercy Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, after spending the hospital celebrating his 56th birthday. He says he is glad to be home.
"Just the simplistic things are fascinating to me," said Hiles. "This morning I was listening to the birds because I don't think I had listened to them in 48 days. So it's very small things that are a big deal right now."
After experiencing the toll that coronavirus takes on your body, your family, and your life as a whole, Hiles said he has a new perspective about the disease.
"I know there's a lot of controversy, I do understand people wanting their rights, but I currently tell everyone to wear a mask in public," said Hiles. "We don't have this monster figured out."