CYPRESS – A parole officer in Harris County is preparing to go home after battling the coronavirus for five months.
Kelli Johnson spent Sunday afternoon talking to her husband Lafayette Johnson through a window at the Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital in Cypress.
“It happened so quick. It’s a horrible experience I don’t wish this on anybody’s family or anybody,” Kelli Johnson said.
Kelli Johnson says it’s been stressful not being able to see her husband.
“COVID has affected neurological system so currently his he’s nonmobile from the waist down he’s able to walk with a Walker and he took 150 steps,” she said.
Lafayette Johnson is a retired Bronze Army Sergeant and a Parole Officer for Harris County. He’s considered an essential worker and he was worried about going to work at first because of COVID-19. He says he got it after his boss tested positive.
“Even though you have it and it’s under control everyone has lingering effects,” he said.
During his time at the hospital, his lungs and kidney collapsed. Doctors put him on an incubator and an expensive treatment that put him on life support twice.
Since his health was getting worse, Lafayette Johnson was moved from HCA Cypress to HCA Medical Center. Seven weeks ago, he started progressing and got transferred to Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital Cypress.
“It’s not nice. I went through a lot,” he said.
Things are going much better for Lafayette Johnson and his getting ready to go home.
“I thank God. It’s a true miracle that he has made it through this. He didn’t die once. He died several times. I’m thrilled that God has given him a second chance,” Kelli Johnson said.
Doctors say he will finally be able to go home on Wednesday.
Johnson’s message to others is to not travel for Christmas.
He says he has a long road to recovery, and he can’t wait to eat some of his wife’s spaghetti.