Hundley: Don’t be selfish

By Emma Palova

Hastings, MI – As the curve of the COVID-19 cases nationally continues to flatten out, people are still suffering, despite yesterday’s protests in Lansing against Gov. Whitmer’s strengthened quarantine restrictions.

For Tori Ann Hundley, 27, of Hastings, the sickness started with a tickle in the throat, followed by a cough and a fever, almost a month ago. But mild body aches grew into difficulty in breathing and resulted in four hospital stays between Hastings and Grand Rapids for a total of 10 days. The most recent one at the Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids on April 13, 2020.

Spectrum Hospital staff in full PPE gear.

• 

• 

The diagnosis: COVID -19 with pneumonia complications.

“I couldn’t breathe,” she said. “I felt like I had 100 pounds of bricks on my chest. My vitals and labs were all over the place. I have a lot of other health issues that lower my immune system.”

At the hospital, Hundley was taking chloraquine and steroids through IV, but since she was breathing on her own, she wasn’t on a ventilator. She had to be taken off the chloraquine due to complications.

“I am always released after three days and then my lungs start to get bad again,” she said. “I have a partially collapsed lung.”

The Spectrum staff, according to Hundley, all were wearing the PPE gear and came only into the room to administer medications and pain control, and to help when she had to use the rest room.

“They are very precautionery with every step,” she said. “They are treating me the best they can under the circumstances they don’t really know how to handle this virus.”

Taking all the precautions, Hundley thought she wouldn’t be the one to get the coronavirus. She has a four year old daughter, Avery and a partner Tony Amelia.

“The only thing that is helping me get through this is my Lord and Savior,” she said. “I’m exhausted and want to give up, but I don’t because I have a daughter who’s waiting for me to overcome this.”

Hundley has difficulty getting up to use the rest room, and basically to function normally by herself on a daily basis.

“I am scared, worried and anxious,” said Amelia who has been taking care of Hundley and Avery.

Amelia has mild symptoms of COVID-19 that include body aches and a headache. The neighbors are shopping for them.

“It’s like the flu, only a hundred times worse,” said Amelia. “The body aches and headaches, it’s the worse I’ve ever had.”

Even though, the pain goes away for two or three days, it comes back, according to Amelia.

“It’s like a phase,” he said. “It’s scary. It’s a serious matter.”

The worst part for Amelia is seeing Tori going through the pneumonia complications.

“Her right lung has collapsed,” he said.

And Hundley is exhausted from going back and forth between the hospitals.

“I am hoping for healing and for people to open their eyes before someone they love or themselves gets this awful virus,” Hundley said. “It’s a horrible way to spend this quarantine.

“It’s taken me too long to get better, because my immune system is weakened.”

Both Hundley and Amelia stressed the need to take the coronavirus disease seriously, in the wake of Gov. Whitmer’s extended executive order through April 30.

“This virus is no freaking joke and it has dragged me down to where I am exhausted and I want to give up, but I don’t because I have a daughter who’s waiting for me to overcome this.

“I am staying as strong as I can but you guys just need to take this more serious and realize people aren’t as lucky as I am to fight this and it’s been a roller coaster ride. STOP COMPLAINING BECAUSE THIS COULD BE YOU!!!! ” 

Even though Amelia doesn’t like the governor’s order, he admitted that it is necessary for people to stay at home.

“You don’t want to spread this or get it,” he said.

Hundley, emotionally drained and physically exhausted, said that people should stay at home, stop being selfish and complaining when others are dying and struggling with the disease.

“I am not doing well, I’m tired, exhausted and I feel awful,” she said. “I’m just praying for some relief soon. This is the worst I’ve every felt.”

Featured photo: Pixabay, coronavirus distance.

Stay tuned for day by day coverage of the COVID-19 quarantine in Michigan.

Thanks to essential workers for keeping us alive.

Copyright (c) 2020 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.