A Dallas woman is sharing her battle with not one, but two rounds of coronavirus.
She posted this tearful photo from the hospital over the weekend. It’s since been seen by more than 100,000 people.
From her
hospital bed at Texas Health Presbyterian in Dallas, Meredith McKee told NBC 5
she wouldn’t wish what put her there on her worst enemy.
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“To be alone
in the hospital and not have anyone, you know,” McKee said tearfully.
McKee tested
positive for COVID-19 in February. She was diagnosed after feeling tell-tale
symptoms.
“That was
clear and obvious, I had a dry cough like you would not believe. It would not
stop,” McKee said.
She fought
the virus from home and beat it. She even donated plasma twice after testing
positive for antibodies, thinking she was in the clear.
“I felt great
doing finally something good coming out of the hell that I’ve been through because
I’m going to help up to eight people with this plasma,” McKee explained.
Then Friday, McKee went to the hospital with high blood pressure and a headache.
She never imagined — four months later — she’d test positive for COVID-19 again.
“I would never have known had they not insisted on doing another COVID test and I was floored when it was positive,” McKee said.
An epidemiologist at UT Southwestern — not connected to McKee’s case — said catching coronavirus twice is possible but appears to be uncommon.
“Second, we don’t really know how serious the illness is the second time compared to the first time,” said Dr. Robert Haley with UT Southwestern.
McKee said her doctors believe the virus went dormant after her first round of coronavirus, then reemerged.
She said the worst part is realizing she may have unknowingly exposed family, friends and countless strangers.
“I’m mortified and I’m seriously devastated,” McKee said.
McKee said she wants her case to serve as a reminder for everyone to wear a mask, something she now wishes she’d done.
