Kenya and the world at large continue to mourn the loss of the seasoned sports broadcaster of Capital FM, Sean Cardovillis. His tragic passing has shed light on his health struggles, including his battle with pneumonia and COVID-19.
According to authorities and witnesses, his lifeless body was discovered on the fourth floor of his residence by a cleaner who had come to tidy up the area leading to his home.
The shocking revelation is that Sean, who many didn’t know, had been grappling with pneumonia.
In a detailed post, Sean shared the journey of his health struggles, particularly after contracting COVID-19.
He explained that pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, often causing them to fill with fluid or pus, resulting in cough, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.
In a post titled “My Battle with Pneumonia and Lessons for Everyone by Sean Cardovillis,” the veteran journalist shared his experience:
“In September and October last year, I thought I had the flu and was taking over-the-counter flu medication. Then, I began experiencing back and rib pain, which I took lightly for a week before clinching the KCB Nanyuki Autocross championship and the Kenya National Rally Championship at the beginning of October. The doctor diagnosed it as pneumonia and prescribed antibiotics for three days. Though I felt better afterward, I still had occasional coughing, which I didn’t pay much attention to.
In the second week of December, I tested positive for COVID-19 and isolated for five days until I tested negative. I then traveled to Nanyuki for three weeks during Christmas and New Year’s. The mistake I made, which I later realized, was taking an extra Pfizer booster shot before the New Year, which left me bedridden with a fever for two days due to side effects. I later learned that you should wait at least 28 days between getting a negative COVID test and receiving a booster shot.”
Sean went on to explain that after taking the COVID-19 booster, a series of health issues emerged, leading to a second bout of pneumonia, often referred to as “Long COVID.”
“This was the beginning of a series of medical issues that led to my second round of pneumonia, which many doctors call ‘Long COVID.’ For the past few weeks, I struggled with shortness of breath, making it difficult for me to walk and sleep. This led me to rush to Nairobi Hospital last Friday night. Believe it or not, Nairobi Hospital conducted a blood test – nothing was wrong, and the doctor told me it was anxiety and they didn’t check my chest. I deteriorated rapidly over the weekend and had to call my father, who rushed from Nanyuki on Sunday morning.”
Sean and his family decided to seek a second opinion.
“I went to Mediheal and had a chest X-ray and ECG. It turned out I had severe pneumonia! So they gave me antibiotics to treat pneumonia. However, those pills seemed too strong for me, and I also suffered from diarrhea and anxiety attacks, which meant I couldn’t sleep at night. Finally, I called my close friend whose husband is a doctor at Village Market yesterday (thanks to Sue Nkirote Omanga – God bless you), and she knew exactly what was wrong. She changed my medication and put me on a course of many vitamins to regain my strength. This morning, I’m happy to tell you that my anxiety attacks have disappeared, and so has the diarrhea. I’ve been advised to stay away from crowds for the next few weeks as my immune system is still very weak.”
Due to his poor health, Sean had to cancel or postpone several media consultancy contracts. He emphasized the importance of not taking flu-like symptoms lightly and getting proper medical evaluation if one suspects they have the flu. He also urged people not to rush into taking extra booster shots without adhering to the recommended waiting period.
