11th June 2021
Pro wrestlers are disclosing their fear of the coronavirus infection. The interviewee is an active pro wrestler based in Hiroshima, who revealed his life for more than two weeks with medical treatment at home, hotel and hospital.
"I felt unexpectedly weak. Hahaha. Don't mess with corona, it is formidable".
Ray Paloma, a 46 year old pro wrestler who lives in Hiroshima, and has thrilled audiences with intense and splendid fights and aerial attacks with a trained body, was suddenly stricken with coronavirus.
"My temperature was 37 degrees Celsius at that night, and it rose to about 38.3. The next day, on the 20th, I had a PCR test at the hospital and was judged to be "positive". I was instructed to "isolate at home" because of the large number of patients. Since I was at home I shut myself up in a room, and when I went to the bathroom I disinfected while moving around. As my family were at risk, meals were placed outside my room".
Fortunately, his wife and their two children who live at home tested negative, but he was worried about the household being infective.
"The children had to take a break from school for about ten days, and my wife also had to take a break from work. During that time, my eldest son was playing soccer and there was an important championship. I felt sorry for him that he couldn't play in the match."
On the 4th day after waiting at home, Ray moved to the medical treatment hotel by the car that came to pick him up.
"The car picked up four patients and took us to the hotel all at once"
However, even after he entered the hotel his fever did not go down at all and the difficult situation continued, so he at the hotel he had an online medical examination and then went to the hospital.
"I already had a pain in my lungs at that time, and when I had a x-ray, a blood test and a urine test, it was pneumonia and I was hospitalized. To lower the fever, I took 9 tablets of Avigan* in the morning and other medicine each morning, and was put on a drip infusion after lunch."
After over seventeen days of overcoming painful medical treatment, he was discharged on the 4th of the month. At the hospital he was supported by a certain concern.
"The nurse bought a mask every morning and I took it with the message that I was grateful to have recovered and will do my best in pro wrestling. In that word I thought I was healed, and my heart was cleansed. However, I regret that I let my guard down and let Corona attack me as I had trained every day to defeat strong opponents. To be honest, in my case I am a pro wrestler and I am trying to recover. People shouldn't be weak and not care about disinfection, I think they should be pretty strong. Don't underestimate corona, it's tough, and there are mutant strains"
*antiviral medication used to treat influenza in Japan.
