Diana got COVID-19 in March 2020, just in time for her 50th birthday. Not exactly the celebration she had in mind.
She initially thought it was the flu but then lost the ability to taste and smell. As feared, she had COVID and endured a rough two weeks with severe body aches, endless cups of tea, and steam baths. A medical biller at Holy Name, she knew how inundated the hospital was with COVID patients, and was determined to stay out of the emergency room.
She felt like the top part of her body was paralyzed.
By April she was doing a bit better, but never felt like she had fully recovered. Diana was a breast cancer survivor who had always been in tune with her body so when she still didn't feel quite right by June, she started to wonder if something else was wrong with her.
Still, she tried to carry on with her life, though her fatigue continued. Then, as she drove home from the beach on July 4, she suddenly had a hard time moving her hands and arms. By the time she got home, she couldn't lift her arms to undress herself. It felt like the top part of her body was paralyzed.
Diana underwent a series of tests, including scans of her brain and spine. A number of diseases were ruled out, including multiple sclerosis. She continued to deteriorate – using just two fingers to type when her hands used to fly across the keyboard. She couldn't walk, talk, or shower. Her limbs felt so heavy that her mother had to help her bathe and get dressed.
Finally, Diana sought the help of Dr. Marissa Oller, a neurologist at Holy Name. Dr. Oller listened to Diana's entire story, taking in every detail. She was especially interested in a tumor on Diana's thymus, discovered years ago by doctors who found it dormant and not causing any symptoms.
Further testing showed what Dr. Oller suspected – COVID had woken up Diana's tumor. It caused a condition called myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disorder that produces weakness in skeletal muscles. It's the reason Diana was barely able to move her arms and legs.
Her condition was so advanced by this point, that Diana's face and mouth were drooping. Her tongue was so swollen that she could barely eat and had lost 25 lbs. in just over two months. She felt awful but was so relieved to have an answer.
Diana had surgery the next day to remove the tumor and thymus gland. The first thing she noticed when she came out of surgery was that her tongue was no longer swollen and after months of struggling, was finally able to talk easier.
Just two weeks post-surgery, Diana was able to lift her arms and walk normally. It had been five long, grueling months of being sick – and she felt amazing. She finally had her life back.
"There's still so much we don't know about COVID," Diana said. "But Holy Name helped me find my answer."
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