Hi everybody! I wanted to tell my mom’s story with both diseases, because even though it was really dificult, we were able to get through it together. My mom was diagnosed with NMO around 2010, when she was 53 years old. Suddenly her body went numb, and she couldn’t move at all. During all these years, she’s had at least one relapse a year (although from 2016 she hasn’t had any serious relapse, thank God), she has difficulties moving on her own, and she lost her sight about 5 years ago. 

I’m sure everyone knows the crisis that has been occured here in Venezuela, so my worst fear was that my mom, having this condition, would need medical attention, and since the cases around here were rising every day, it was harder and harder to find it, so we were being extremely careful with her. 

It all started in this past March, when a neighbor came to our apartment to talk with my dad, and even though he knew he had COVID, he came without a mask, and sadly, my dad, without knowing it, open the door without using his. Two days later, my dad had a on going cough, but he was sure it was just allergy. Two more days past and on monday, my mom and I were feeling a bit ill. That was when another neighbor called us to tell us that the other neighbor was a confirmed COVID case, and we shouldn’t get close to him (too late…).

At first, my mom was feeling really tired and with a lot of headache, so I gave her a Tylenol to relieve the flu simptoms, but that was, on her words, the last thing she remembers until several days later. She started to lose all the strength in her body really fast, in just a few hours she couldn’t stand on her feet. She started to pass out every hour, and every time it was harder to make her react. She didn’t wanted to eat, and she couldn’t swallow any of her medications (Prednisone and azathioprine). We called a few doctors, and the only thing we could do at that time was put her an IV solution, and wait until morning to see how she was doing. She was really dizzy and could barely speak. When the doctor came in the afternoon told us it was necessary to take her to a hospital or clinic. We were calling all day because everywhere was full, until we found one and took her there. I stayed with her for the first three days at the clinic, and my sister was the next two days. 

My mom was hallucinating, she had troubled to pee,  and the treatment the doctors put on her made her sick. They put her several IV solutions because she hadn’t even drink water during those days, vitamin C, a medication to stop the nauseas, an antibiotic and an anticoagulant. After three days, she started to feel better, thankfully the virus didn’t affect her lungs. She started to eat a bit during those days, and after she left the clinic, she had a quick recovery, she was feeling like before this hit us. 

Now, after two months, I can say she’s doing just great, taking her medication and vitamins, and eating as healthy as we can. I can’t thank God enough for saving us from a tragedy, and even though it was the hardest test of our lives, we could get through this together. The only thing I can say now is, please, keep taking care of yourself, if you have the opportunity to get a vaccine, please do, eat the healthiest way possible, keep in touch with your loved ones and have faith, God is always there to help us all.