7 minute read
I Survived Covid by Janette Yañez
from Issue 31
LET’S START AT THE BEGINNING: HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OF COVID-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 paineverything 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 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.
HOW LONG WERE YOU HOSPITALIZED?
I was admitted November 6, 2021 and discharged February 4, 2022 (3 months).
WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE FOR YOU?
I was conscious for three days after I was hospitalized. I know this because I have text messages with family and friends. On November 9th, I was put in a medically induced coma. I don’t remember anything after that. What I do recall is having many dreams, which became nightmares.
After two months, the doctors started to slowly wake me up. They would ask me if I knew where I was and what happened to me. I knew I was in the hospital but wasn’t quite sure what happened. It was January 15, 2022 when I first became aware of my surroundings.
After that day I received physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. I still had my trach - the doctors weren’t sure for how long. Many said I would have it all my life. Apart from all of that, I was confused about my baby. I was concerned that all the medicines I was receiving would affect the baby but every day my husband would tell me the baby had been born! I was so confused! How was the baby born? When? Why?
My baby was born via C-section on December 8, 2021, just shy of 30 weeks. She was due February 17, 2022. When my baby was born, she was not breathing but the doctors took good care of her. She was in the Picu/Nicu for two months. I did not get a chance to meet her in person until she was discharged from the hospital at two months old. Since I was in an induced coma, I don’t have any recollection of what was done to me but somehow my subconscious must have still been working. I had a vivid dream about my baby being born and me telling the doctors that it was too soon for her to be born - in my dream, she wasn’t breathing at birth (which is exactly what happened in reality). I also recall dreaming about returning home. I would make my way every day in my dream following clues from an elder telling me to try different ways to get home.
When I woke up I felt confused. Numb. When the nurses and therapists told me my baby was born I felt numb. They would show me pictures of my baby, but I felt numb. I was so scared because I did not feel anything. Why was this? I would spend hours looking at her pictures and wonder if I would feel anything when I met her. I prayed and prayed. But when the day came to meet her my heart melted! I had feelings! I was so numb from all the medicines I had been given; but after meeting my baby for the first time, I finally felt normal again.
WHAT HELPED YOU GET THROUGH YOUR HOSPITALIZATION?
My faith and my family. My faith is what kept that spark alive for me to continue to fight both physically and emotionally. My husband and my children were always by my side, I felt such relief seeing them. Even though I couldn’t move or talk, I would pray and pray to gain strength to be able to go home and be with my family and to be able to care for them as I used to.
My advice to others: don’t lose hope, pray, keep positive. Although I don’t remember much, all my text messages were filled with positivity and faith. When I regained consciousness, I prayed and prayed for a fast recovery. Because of my condition, sometimes it would take me days to finish a prayer. But I always did.
WHAT PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE HAVE YOU GAINED AFTER YOUR EXPERIENCE?
Life is beautiful. Enjoy every moment, good or bad. I pay more attention to every situation and try to get the best out of it. I love my family and I want to continue making memories together, so when I’m gone, they will remember our experiences and all the good I did during my time here.
