Texas Woman Hospitalized For 79 Days Due To COVID-19; Regrets Not Wearing Mask

A 24-year-old woman hospitalized due to COVID-19 for 79 days shows remorse for not wearing a mask despite the threat of the deadly virus.

Paola Castillo revealed she was nearly dying during her almost 3-months long stay in the hospital. The North Richland Hills resident was recently discharged from Medical City North Hills after spending 79 days fighting for her life. She was admitted to the facility for coronavirus infection on April 27, reports say.

She told local news station CBS-DFW that her symptoms at the time included coughing, difficulty in breathing, and fever, which she noticed approximately six days before her hospitalization. Castillo was brought to the emergency room after she found difficulties in managing her condition at home.

A news release from the hospital stated that the 24-year-old was "close to death" during her more than two months' stay at Medical City North Hills. "Her symptoms worsened rapidly and she was placed on a ventilator within the first 24 hours at Medical City North Hills," the hospital news release reveals.

The hospital informed her family about her condition, which intensive care personnel described as "touch and go" during her over a month-long stay there. There was no mention, however, whether the North Richland Hills resident has any pre-existing medical issues that may have exacerbated the severity of her condition.

Castillo stated in the news release that she can only recall a couple of interactions with hospital staff as she was heavily sedated at the time. She admitted thinking those lucid moments were dreams and also revealed that at one point, she saw what she thought was light. "That light was God telling me it was time to wake up," the 24-year-old patient said in the news release.

Hospital officials, in their news release, refer to Castillo as their "miracle patient." While she is not on a ventilator anymore, she still finds some difficulty in talking and swallowing. Officials, however, assured that she is now undergoing rehabilitation and is gradually improving.

During her interview with CBS-DFW, the 24-year-old expressed remorse for not wearing a mask early on. She said all of these could have been avoided if only she had worn a mask. "I work at a bank I'm always around people but I was like I'm fine, I'm fine. Never did I think I'd catch it," Castillo said.