ASHEBORO, N.C. — A Piedmont-Triad family is speaking after at least five family members caught COVID-19 and suffered varying degrees of sickness. The family is asking for prayers and support as a great-grandfather remains hospitalized in Greensboro fighting the coronavirus, along with more than 2,100 others in NC who are hospitalized with COVID-19 on Sunday.
Asheboro residents Nancy Staley and her husband Leo have been married for 61 years and both became sick with the virus. Nancy spoke with WFMY News 2 from home her with two daughters, Lynette and Laura, by her side, while her husband received intensive care for coronavirus at Cone Health's Green Valley COVID-19 hospital.
"Our agreement with each other had been we were not to die alone," Nancy said. "We understand about dying, we are not afraid to die, but my husband said, 'I want you here with me while I die,' and this was probably the most traumatic thing for me, is he was up there away from me and was going to die, and I could not be with him, and his family could not be with him."
Nancy and her daughters said Leo lives with congestive heart failure and COPD.
He first started experiencing COVID-19 symptoms about three weeks ago, including trouble breathing and low blood oxygen levels. He has since been hospitalized and suffered unexpected internal bleeding, which the family says has now stopped.
"It has truly been a miracle. Due to the prayers, I can't even begin to talk about the prayers that have been lifted up for Leo and the family. He has stopped bleeding. We had a special prayer session just for that one item," Nancy said.
Family members have asked for prayers and shared updates in posts on Facebook, which have received hundreds of likes, comments, and shares. The family says Leo should be able to return home within a few days if his condition remains stable.
Nancy, a great-grandmother and substitute teacher at Southwest Randolph High School, is now in recovery after her battle with COVID-19. She says her first symptom was fatigue.
"I started to feel sick. And began to feel tightness in my chest," Nancy said. "It got so bad, when I laid on the couch, my O2 would drop to 90. I would get up to assist my husband and it would drop into the 70's."
A normal blood oxygen level is between 95 and 100, according to health officials.
"When my O2 levels would drop, my husband he would give me oxygen. We had extra tank here so we were prepared," Nancy said.
Fortunately, Nancy only had to be hospitalized for one day and has since been recovering at home. Her daughters Lynette Garner and Laura Lamb also became sick with COVID-19. While five family members in total have become sick with the virus, they say only four of them have actually had a positive test result.
"I still have not tested positive. I have had 2 rapid tests and 2 lab tests all at different locations. I have been sick, I ran a fever for 9 days. There were a couple of days I was so sick I couldn't get up and walk across the floor to take care of mom," said Lynette Garner.
Laura, who works as a nurse, said she has been quarantining for three weeks due to lingering coronavirus symptoms.
"It is very challenging to be a healthcare professional that takes care of sick and dying people, and people with COVID at times, and I can't even care for my own father. It has been very traumatic," Laura said.
What's most concerning, the family said, is that they have taken extensive precautions, including isolation, wearing masks, and social distancing and still caught the virus.
"My father has not left this house since March and he's up in the COVID hospital fighting," said Laura. "It's hard to determine how you got it, who got it first, did we give it to each other, how was it transmitted? As a nurse it's been very puzzling to put the pieces together how it all happened to all of us."
Through their personal struggles with the virus, the family says they have learned that life is precious. They continue to lean on their faith and hope that others will pray.
"I just want us all to be kinder to each other and realize how short life really is, and it can turn on a dime," Nancy said.
"When you know families that have it, and people are suffering with it is, don't make it political," Lynette said.
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