By Ashlea Kosikowski | November 20, 2020 at 6:10 PM EST – Updated November 20 at 6:26 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – In the hospital for a fifth day, Carolann Cotton, of Tabor City, hoped sharing her story about her battle with COVID-19 will compel others to take the risk seriously.
Cotton is in the ICU in a hospital in Loris, South Carolina.
Cotton said her symptoms came on strong last weekend. Monday morning, Cotton checked into the hospital, where doctors put her on oxygen and remdesiver.
Her husband, who is a police officer, and four-year-old daughter also tested positive for COVID-19.
“My four year old has no symptoms at all,” she said. “She’s doing beautifully. My husband, he said he feels like he was hit by a Mack truck.”
They are both recovering at home.
“I miss my little girl,” she said. “I miss my husband. I miss being at home and being able to move around. Honestly, I miss my breathing. I miss being able to breathe. I can’t even take a deep breath without it knocking the breath out of me.”
Cotton, who has Type 1 Diabetes, is worried about what’s next. Doctors tell her she can expect a lengthy recovery.
“What scares me is even when I get out of here, I have a long road ahead of me,” she said. “One of my ICU nurses, she contracted COVID in June and she had to go on Monday to get a scan of her chest because she still having the breathing problems. It doesn’t go away when I walk out of here. It’s not going away and that’s the part that scares me.”
Cotton is not sure when she will be released from the hospital.
She stays connected with her family and friends through Facetime. She is unsure when she will be released from the hospital. She is also unsure where she and her family contracted COVID-19.
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