Lafayette Woman Shares Covid Story, Asks People to 'Mask Up'

A Lafayette woman who spent 11 days at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital being treated for COVID-19 is sharing her story and asking people to "mask up".

Brandee Duhon is chronicling her COVID story on Facebook as best as she can and, in her latest update, "Day #30", she shares the first thing the doctors told her:

The first words from my doctor were, there is no cure, there is no treatment, we are just guessing. . - Brandee Duhon, Facebook

There is no cure. There is no treatment. We are just guessing. Can you imagine being told those words? I think that this is something that many people do not understand. Yes, coronaviruses have been around for many years. Yes, there are treatments for some coronaviruses, but THIS ONE IS NEW. It is different. It doesn't behave the same as the others. Doctors and scientists are still studying this thing to learn more about it so that effective treatments, cures, and/or vaccines can be developed. In the meantime, the hospital staff is just trying to keep you alive.

I had COVID-19, but my story is much different from Brandee's: I had severe flu-like symptoms for 5 days, and now I seem fine. But am I done with COVID-19? No one knows, yet. No one knows the lasting effects of the disease. Do I still have bits of coronavirus in my system that can rear their ugly heads again in the future? Has having COVID-19 caused damage to any of my other organs? Has my brain and/or nervous system been damaged? Only time will tell. I have an appointment with a pulmonologist to check on my lungs next week, as I have a pre-existing lung condition (he's just as interested in evaluating my lungs as I am in making certain they are healthy).

Brandee, in her story, shares her symptoms as they progress to a severe level. She also shares her fear:

Day 12 I woke up and I knew things had become serious. I had pneumonia with covid, or covid lungs as they say. The next 5 days were rough, scary and very painful. Fighting to breathe, extreme nausea, eyesight coming and going, every day added new unexpected hurdles. - Brandee Duhon, Facebook

This is the first I hear of people having vision problems with COVID, which goes to show that there is so much about this virus we have yet to learn.

Brandee also tells of the great care she received while at the hospital, and shared what one nursed asked her to promise:

She also made me promise I would scream it from the roof tops, and tell everyone, to wear a mask, don’t gather in groups and social distance - she is heartbroken by the suffering and death - yet she always wore a smile for me. - Brandee Duhon, Facebook

She also noted that, while suffering from COVID-19, people on Social Media were sending her messages or commenting on her page about the virus being political. She said, "the disconnect from what I was experiencing and the political discourse was a difficult reality to experience".

read my covid-19 story, beginning at day 1

This virus is not Republican, nor Democrat. It is not a hoax. It is not going to just "disappear". This virus doesn't care who you are or how you feel about the Constitution or your rights. This virus doesn't care about our economy or our lifestyle. This virus just wants a host so that it can survive, thrive, and spread. This virus does not want you to wear a mask.

Brandee, we hope you recover fully. Thank you for sharing your story.