As a high-risk group for coronavirus, elderly people face fears of getting sick with COVID-19, which could be fatal for them. Although some have succumbed to death, there are still people over 80 years old who win the battle against this deadly disease.
Geneva Wood, a 90-year-old woman from Washington state, survived coronavirus. Her daughter Cami Neidigh shares how her mother fought to recover from her near-death experience.
Wood is one of the residents in The Life Care Center in Kirkland, which is considered as a center of the outbreak in Washington. She has been living at the senior-living facility since suffering a stroke in January. She was about to go home from the facility when she suddenly caught coronavirus. Her family was in a panic after knowing that she tested positive for COVID-19 because of her condition. Apart from old age, Wood has lost her ability to walk, talk, and move her right arm.
The old woman was brought to Harborview Medical Center on March 5 after having fever, cough, and shortness of breath, which are all symptoms of coronavirus.
Wood's family in panic
"My heart sank when I heard that she had tested positive. I was so sure she would be OK. She had fought so hard to come back from the stroke, how could it be possible that a virus was going to take her out?" Cami, one of Wood's children told Fox News.
Cami added that Wood never quits no matter what adversities she faces in life. Although she is stubborn at times due to old age, Wood's family is confident that she can survive coronavirus. For days, Wood can only see her family through a glass window, which worries since they are not allowed to go near her to avoid the spread of the virus.
Cami and the rest of the family members knew that Wood could pull herself again despite her condition. She shared that Wood is a survivor and is always determined like how she managed a broken hip. However, their high hopes diminished when Wood was brought to isolation. Knowing that she is alone breaks the heart of her children and grandchildren.
Like most people, there's a possibility that Wood would give up, especially that her family is not on her side. There were days when the family was told to visit the hospital after the doctors see that Wood might pass away anytime soon.
But visiting Wood means merely seeing her at the window. Cami relates that it is so heartbreaking and brutal "to be so close and not be able to reach out and touch her." She added that "it tears" her heart out as they reach for her arm on the other side of the wall.
A surprising detour
While everyone, including Wood, was just waiting for her last breath, a surprising shift made everyone happy. Although doctors might not be able to explain, there's a possibility that her great improvement could be credited to the presence of her loved ones.
Wood was crying one day and was asking for her children, urging the medical staff to let them go to her room while wearing protective gear. Cami said that they were given a chance to "touch her hand, rub her arm, and talk slowly" to comfort her. Seeing her mother and given a chance to touch her despite wearing gloves is a "gift."
On March 22, Wood was clear of coronavirus. Her family was so happy that Wood was finally allowed to go into a room without wearing a mask. She can now speak to her family and accept hugs. Cami said that she will be discharged soon and will be quarantined with her family members.
Cami hopes that the story of Wood will give a ray of hope not just to old people or to those who get COVID-19, but to the whole world which is facing this pandemic. She added that the virus is not a death sentence. Instead, it is a wake-up call for everyone to be positive while giving guidance to those who are since.
"If anyone's going to give the middle finger to a killer virus, it's her," Cami said about her mother's recovery.
The story of Wood surviving her near-death experience from coronavirus reminds us that there is still hope. Although the number of cases and deaths continue to rise, this will soon come to an end. Wood's resilience and her family's love has helped her recover from this brutal disease. So, if you know somebody who is suffering from COVID-19, share this story to them so they'll grab hold to a ray of hope that nothing is impossible with God's help.
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