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An Australian beauty entrepreneur has found a new lease on life after almost dying from Covid following early symptoms of a ‘cold’.
Theo Ikosidekas, 36, from Melbourne, described himself as a ‘workaholic’ before being struck by a deadly strain Covid in 2021, which left him in an induced coma for two weeks.
After being told he had to be put into a coma because his oxygen levels were dangerously low, he frantically texted and emailed his employees in the middle of the night to secure his brand. BodyBlendz would float while he was away.
The brand skyrocketed to success with its famous natural coffee scrub and has since expanded into a hugely popular range beauty and skin productsbe inclusive ‘anti-cellulite’ lotion And tan.
While Theo eventually overcame his life-threatening illness, he spent months learning to walk again – and slowly learning to live without being consumed by his work.
Beauty entrepreneur Theo Ikosidekas (pictured) was a ‘workaholic’ before being struck by a deadly form of Covid in October 2021, which left him in a coma for two weeks
‘It was a different normal, but finally I was able to stand on my feet and get back to doing what I love most. Every bad situation has a positive point and you have to take full advantage of it,” Theo told FEMAIL.
Theo started experiencing symptoms similar to the common cold on Friday in October 2021, when the Delta strain of Covid was widespread in Melbourne.
His age group was not yet eligible for the new vaccine and rapid antigen tests were not immediately available.
After his two-week coma, Theo had to learn to walk again and build up strength because his muscles became weak and exhausted
Lethargy started to set in on Saturday and on Sunday evening Theo was so exhausted and short of breath that he had to call an ambulance.
Medical staff told Theo that his oxygen levels were dangerously low, around 70 percent. Anything below 90 percent is reason for urgent medical intervention.
He was told he would have to go into a medically induced coma and be placed on a ventilator to prevent brain damage; they didn’t know how long he would be out.
Patients suffering from oxygen deprivation are sometimes put into a coma to reduce brain swelling and inflammation that can cause brain damage.
While he found himself in a life-threatening situation, Theo’s main concern was whether his business would still be able to function in his absence. In retrospect, he admits that this was probably an unconscious distraction from the scary situation.
“I remember so vividly asking, ‘Do you know how long I’ll be unconscious?’ They said no, it was very vague,” he said.
‘I’m in this state of mind, going crazy, but thinking business-wise like, “Okay, I have to give out passwords. Only I have access to the corporate bank accounts,” while they’re telling me I’m about to be put to sleep.’
He said being in a coma was like having a series of strange dreams and nightmares.
‘It’s so strange to look back on these kinds of nightmares that you would have. They give you some kind of sedative medicine, but you’re still put to sleep,” Theo explained.
“I remember in the dream I was in a hospital and family and friends always visited me. I tried to talk to them, but no one responded to me.”
However, due to Covid restrictions, Theo was unable to receive visitors. His family received daily phone calls with updates on his condition.
When he was released from the hospital, he could only walk short distances and was forced to take a step back from BodyBlendz and prioritize rest and recovery.
When he was stabilized and woke up 15 days later, he discovered his oxygen levels were dropping because the Covid had progressed to pneumonia and he contracted a secondary infection while in intensive care.
“I remember waking up and being hooked up to a catheter…I didn’t know what had just happened,” he recalls.
‘I have bruises above my ribs from all the tubes and scars on my face bedsores. They are a constant reminder of what I went through.”
Theo spent a week in the respiratory unit, determined to build up strength and learn to walk again after losing muscle function during his coma.
When he was discharged from hospital, he could only walk short distances and was forced to take a step back from his work and prioritize rest and recovery.
“I was tired when I got home, but it was great because the hospital offered home care with different therapists coming in every few days,” he said.
Theo gradually returned to work and was back at it by early 2022, without returning to his previous ‘workaholic’ habits and handing over control to his loyal BodyBlendz team
While recovering, Theo gradually resumed work and was back at it by early 2022, without returning to his previous ‘workaholic’ habits and handing over control to his team.
“Having to trust my team and not do everything myself was the biggest learning experience for BodyBlendz and myself as an entrepreneur,” he said.
‘Like so many other start-ups, you think you have to do everything yourself. Only when I was literally forced to outsource things did I realize that this was not only possible, but also actually led to enormous growth.’
Theo said he focuses on getting enough “me time” and saw a psychiatrist after suffering PTSD from being in a coma, which led to a life-changing ADHD diagnosis.
“I thought the problems I was facing were part of the recovery from Covid – but almost two years into my recovery I noticed they weren’t going away,” he said.
Theo said he focuses on getting enough “me time” and saw a psychiatrist after suffering PTSD from being in a coma, which led to a life-changing ADHD diagnosis
‘I had trouble concentrating and completing tasks. Not only that, my family made me realize that these things had always been a struggle for me, but now they were only getting worse.”
He said he had an “all or nothing” approach to his work, in that he could “work two months in a week” and then burn out and feel exhausted.
Through trial and error, Theo found a combination of medications and treatment strategies that strengthened his strengths and alleviated his more challenging symptoms.
‘Medication is only part of the treatment of ADHD. Therapy, lifestyle modifications and self-awareness play an equally crucial role and it is something I am working on,” he said.
“I just can’t believe it took me until my mid-30s to figure out what was wrong.”
He views his ADHD as a superpower in that it brings unique strengths, including creativity, hyperfocus and a distinctive way of thinking.
Theo’s ability to manage and leverage his ADHD, combined with his new work-life balance, has left him better equipped to grow the brand.
The BodyBlendz range is now available at Chemist Warehouse and Woolworths and Theo is setting his sights on taking the brand internationally.
He wants fellow entrepreneurs facing similar challenges to “embrace your unique brain” and play to their strengths and weaknesses.
You can browse through the range here.
