S H O R T S T O R I E S O F S U R V I VA L : M E E T J A N E T T E
I Survived Covid
I am Janette... I am a survivor and I am a miracle! I am a Wedding Photographer and Planner. I am a mother of three beautiful children, our little one being a miracle herself. I am finding my voice and my way to inspire everyone I can with an emphasis on Women.
L E T ’ S S TA R T AT T H E B EG I N N I N G: H O W D I D YO U F E E L W H E N YO U F I R S T S TA R T E D E X P E R I E N C I N G S Y M P T O M S O F CO V I D -19 ? It’s been tough to sit here and write this; even after a year, I feel melancholic. On October 29th, 2021 I was scheduled to photograph a wedding. A couple of minutes after I got home I began feeling sick, tired, and weak. I walked to my room and slept; I was 25 weeks pregnant at the time. Initially, I thought my fatigue had something to do with my pregnancy - maybe I was just exhausted. Earlier that day, I had been experiencing a sharp pain on the left side near my rib cage but I ignored it. The next day, October 30th, I took my two children to a Halloween party. We were there for about 20 minutes when all of a sudden the pain in my left rib cage came back - it was excruciating. I went home and rested. The next day was October 31st and the kids wanted to go trick or treating on Halloween. By then all I remember was not being able to stand because I was so weak. All I wanted to do was sleep. I managed to schedule a COVID rapid test at a nearby CVS. I received the results that same day: I had COVID. I called the paramedics because I could not longer tolerate the pain everything hurt. At the hospital they said I was dehydrated and provided IV fluids which made me feel a little better. But the next day, I felt the same pain again. I cannot tell you what happened those first couple of days but I do have text messages with my daughter. I’m crying reading them now, it hurts to relive the moment but I remind myself that my Heavenly Father has a purpose for me; that’s why I am still here. On November 2nd I went to a different hospital - same thing was done: I was given IV fluids, written prescriptions, and then I was sent home. On November 3rd (or 4th) I called the paramedics. When they arrived, all I remember was being told they could not take me to the hospital again because nothing could be done for me - and that I needed to suck it up. Those words really stuck with me. According to text messages to my daughter, I asked her to sleep with her phone on in case I needed her and asked her to bring me more ice. November 5th, I asked her for a bin to use
70
“Life is
Beautiful, Enjoy every moment.”
for the bathroom because I could not get up. November 6th I texted her, ‘my shoes and small blanket’. I had a fever; my texts were getting shorter and no longer making any sense. I wasn’t eating anything, I couldn’t. I remember getting in the shower to lower my temperature and I was crying; it hurt so much! November 6th was the day I could no longer take the pain; my oxygen dropped to 80. I did not want to call the paramedics again because I did not want to be told that I needed to suck it up. I called a Lyft and I could barely walk to the car. I entered the building and sat in the nearest seat I could find. I called Labor & Delivery to help me, I could not make it anymore. After November 6th at 12:30pm, I do not remember anything. After November 9th, I stopped responding to text messages.
E L L A I NS P I RE S / I S S UE 31
