By Hanaa Bardi
Interview by Hanaa Bardi & Brandon Verastegui
Edited by John Fierst
So You Think It’s Just Influenza? You Think That You Are Young, Healthy, Strong And That Your Immune System Can Handle This Novel Coronavirus?
Perhaps there are similarities in symptoms between flu and COVID-19, but this virus is not as forgiving as the flu. It is taking lives away. Besides the severe respiratory syndrome a person could have, there can be body aches, high fevers, and other complications due to our immune system’s response to the virus and its correlation with other factors.
Thinking that the worst case scenario will be ending up at one of the high quality Texas Medical Center hospitals and that you will get the help you need? Well, to simplify this a little more, our healthcare system is about to be in a crisis (if it isn’t already). Heroes on the front lines in patient care are burning out since they cannot take care of everyone at once, and just imagine the intensive care units packed with patients all in need of breathing treatments, oxygen, suction, or ventilators. It is heartbreaking to get to an extent where some strict healthcare ethics have to be applied such as breathing assistance being given to some patients over others considering their ages and underlying health conditions like what is currently happening in Italy.
You may have been a bit reassured when you heard of the game changing drug combination that has been recently approved to be a part of the Coronavirus treatment protocol which is the Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin! Personally, my mother was one of those folks who got excited when she heard about it. With mixed emotions, I explained to her that these two pharmaceutical drugs have been in use for a long time; they are not newly manufactured for this pandemic. Hydroxychloroquine is an immunosuppressant that is being prescribed under the brand name of Plaquenil in rheumatology and other autoimmune disorders, while the Azithromycin is the famous Z-pak doctors usually prescribe for common ailments caused by bacterial infections. So, there is no specific antiviral to fight against the Coronavirus yet, nor any final clinical studies to prove that the benefit of the Hydroxychloroquine-Azithromycin combination really outweighs the risks of side effects.
But let’s see how things may be playing out in real life right now. Below is an interview Brandon and I had last week with a fellow Houston Millennial Laura Hidalgo after receiving the sad news that her dear mother had contracted the Covid-19 virus earlier this month, which has put the whole family through an extreme emotional hardship. With the name of all of us, I appreciate Ms. Hidalgo’s time and patience during the interview.
How old is your mother and when was the last time she was in direct contact with anyone?
She is 73 years old, and she has been in the hospital for 8 days, since March 17th, So it was probably a couple of days around that time.
Do you remember the symptoms that your mother initially had?
It all started with flu-like symptoms, severe headaches, body aches, diarrhea, and fever.
Tell us briefly about the hospital admission process. How did you and your family deal with the whole situation?
Well, it is only both of us here at this time. We live in Houston, but I am currently in Orlando, FL for work purposes, and my mom came to visit for a few days. Actually, we had experienced seasonal allergy-like symptoms at the beginning, however, my mom had gotten worse considering the diarrhea and the high temperature. This is the reason why I took her to urgent care first. But after the triage nurse took her vital signs that showed a significantly low blood pressure reading of 80/50, the decision of transferring her to the hospital was made immediately. Once we arrived, we were overwhelmed with questions unlike what we are used to at any emergency room.
What were the tests that she had on the first night?
An abdominal-pelvis and chest CT scans were performed upon our arrival, as well as blood work, flu, and Covid-19 swabs. The CT scan came back positive with pneumonia, and her temperature went up to 102.2F. Nurses rushed to isolate my mother and put a sign on her door stating “Highly Contagious” – it was terrifying! They had asked me to leave and stay home under a complete quarantine since they were suspecting that she has contracted the Coronavirus, but the Covid-19 test results took about five days to come back positive.
Was the Hydroxychlroquine (Plaquenil) and Azithromycin combination a part of her treatment plan?
Yes, I saw these names on one of her admission summaries.
Did your mom have difficulty breathing? Do you know any other medications that were administered on her during her hospitalization?
Yes, she did. IV antibiotics were started the first day, then her attending physician called me the next day to inform me that her lungs were full of fluid, and they needed to inject her with a diuretic to help her void out all the excess fluid she had retained in her body. Then she was transferred to the ICU (intensive care unit) because she needed to be on a ventilator since her oxygen level was very low. Then her potassium levels dropped low, and she had to be put on that too.
Is your mother a smoker? Did she have any underlying health conditions or chronic illnesses?
No, she does not smoke, and she rarely drinks! The only health problem she had was hypothyroidism, but it was well controlled by her endocrinologist.
Did she have any food restrictions? Was she to talk to you on the phone?
No, but she had no appetite to eat plus she was on IV fluid. So finally today after about 8 days in the hospital, she was able to have a good meal and her oxygen level has increased, meaning that she is breathing a little better on her own now. Whenever we spoke over the phone, I could hear her struggling to breathe by getting exhausted after less than a minute of talking, but I was helping her meditate, and we did a lot of prayers which I believe has tremendously helped her.
Were you offered the Covid-19 test at all after your mom tested positive?
No, not at all! I was sent home and instructed to disinfect everything which I did the same night she was admitted.
What is your message to our community and especially to the Houston Millennials organization?
Do not wait until it hits your home to take it seriously. Stay home, for yourself and for your loved ones’ safety; it was extremely hard for me to go back home and leave my mother behind at the hospital alone! Her illness was devastating to the whole family.
