Carla

(Interview conducted May 2021)

Carla, a stay-at-home mother of three, miraculously beat COVID-19 after a month-long battle in the ICU that included ventilation and life support.
In November 2020, Carla’s husband came back from a work trip and brought Covid-19 into their home. Carla’s battle began at St. Joseph Mercy, where her breathing was not improving. She cautiously said goodbye to her family as she was placed on a ventilator. Carla says she has no recollection of the events that followed, and she can only recount what was told to her. Two days after Carla was put under the vent, she was emergency airlifted to Henry Ford for ECMO. There, she had two strokes on Christmas Day - leaving Doctors to make the risky decision to bring her off that ECMO. The hospital staff and Carla’s family were all prepared for what seemed like the end when Carla started to get a little better. And on January 6, Carla awoke. She claims the first memory she has is of the hospital TV showcasing the attack on the Capitol and that it was incredibly disorienting. Carla contributes her survival to a promise she made to her youngest child, claiming it was her “tether.” Though Carla survived, post-hospitalization and recovery have meant rehabilitation at The Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, where Carla had to learn how to walk and use her left hand again. She has made drastic improvements, but life is not what it used to be. She still experiences shortness of breath from decreased lung capacity and brain fog. However, the experience has left Carla with a whole new outlook on life and a comforting message for family members that may have loved ones in a similar situation. She wants to let others know that their loved ones are not experiencing any pain. Now, Carla shares her story to combat misinformation and encourage others to talk about how awful covid truly is.

*Hear Carla’s full story below in her Zoom interview.