TUCSON, Ariz. — A 91-year-old veteran is recovering at home after six days in the VA hospital. Blas Vargas is an Air Force veteran.
He has COPD and heart disease. Recently, he went to the hospital for pneumonia and tested positive for COVID-19.
“He has landed in the hospital over the last couple years a few times,” said Son Mark Vargas. “And when that happens, we know it's critical because of his existing conditions.”
Mark says everything they saw on the news and heard from doctors had them scared, but his father wasn’t going to throw in the towel.
“He’s like a navy seal he’s got the attitude of if I'm going down I'm going down fighting.”
Mark says his father is back from the hospital quarantining in his room.
It was a battle, but he’s recovering. They think Remdesivir helped turn things around.
“I guess when they did that, that stabilized everything, because all of a sudden things changed.”
Mark says the virus has spread beyond his dad.
His 82-year-old mother tested positive after a fever and flu-like symptoms. He and his brother also live in the home and have been waiting over a week for results.
“They called and said your mom is positive, so we are dealing with that, but me and my brother still to this day haven’t gotten results.”
There are many unknowns about this disease, but Mark says his family wants people to know there is hope.
“Especially for the elderly if they go in yes there is hope,” he said. “ Because he came out.”
