Violeta
(Interview Conducted April 2021)
Violeta has survived many battles throughout her life: domestic violence, H1N1, meningitis, etc., but she says Covid-19 is by far the worst. Almost one year out of recovering from bariatric surgery, Violeta contracted Covid-19. She knew something was wrong after her husband experienced fatigue and suddenly couldn’t taste his spicy salsa. The threat of Covid-19 has always been apparent in Violeta’s life. Multiple members of her family contracted the virus, and a dear uncle died. The day the positive test result came back for her husband, she ended up in urgent care for a high fever and severe pain throughout her body that left her unable to move. On Christmas Day, Violeta fainted and woke up in the hospital with low oxygen levels. Doctors said they might have to put her on a ventilator. When her oxygen levels stabilized, she was discharged to recover at home. Still, she found herself right back in the hospital for severe dehydration, where they discovered she had developed pneumonia. Violeta’s recovery from Covid-19 has been ongoing since those hospital visits. The virus amplified her pre-existing health condition of fibromyalgia, and her mobility has drastically decreased. She cannot work as much with her and her husband’s small concrete business and is now going through physical therapy to regain mobility. When asked about her medical care and the experiences of the Hispanic community, Violeta discussed the presence of fear and disparities - witnessing community members pass up treatment or help because of potential prejudices and stereotypes such as being “illegal” or an assumption of people trying to get out of work. Because of this, Violeta will not stay silent, and she expresses the need to advocate for proper care and recognition. She encourages others to ask for help and affirms that “Covid-19 is not something that anybody asked for.” Despite the debilitating Long Covid effects, Violeta is literally making baby steps in her recovery. She has a hopeful outlook and finds comfort in connecting with other survivors through support groups.
*Hear Violeta’s full story below in her Zoom Interview.
[image description: a black and white image of a woman sitting on concrete steps in front of the back door to her house. She has short, dark curly hair and wears sunglasses, a flowery dress, and a light-colored cardigan. Two small, white fluffy dogs stare out the two back windows of the house. A tall wooden fence lines the property on the woman’s right side and yard tools to her left.]