Kathy Ziglo thought she had a cold 鈥� maybe the flu.
鈥淚 had the chills, a fever, I was in bed ... I thought I had a cold,鈥� said the former Yorkton resident now living in Saskatoon.
Then it hit her stomach and nothing would stay down.
鈥淚t was flu-like symptoms,鈥� she said, adding not even water of sport drinks would stay down.
The worst started on a Tuesday.
鈥淪aturday I'm calling the hospital, 911. I'm calling them because I'm so dehydrated,鈥� said Ziglo in a telephone interview with Yorkton This Week. 鈥淚 can't keep anything down.鈥�
At the time Ziglo wasn't too worried. In fact calling 911 felt a bit over reactive, but she was in no condition to drive, and her partner was not an option.
But she knew a hospital visit was needed.
鈥淚n my mind I needed an IV drip and some fluids,鈥� she said.
The ambulance arrived and she was soon on a stretcher and headed to its waiting open doors.
Ziglo recalls one of the attendants asking 'are your hands always this cold', a question she found odd because she was always warm.
But the extremities were so cold the ambulance attendant was having a difficult time getting a good reading on her oxygen intake.
Again Ziglo wasn't worried, a friend had dropped off an oxygen metre and the readings were fine, although later she came to realize 鈥淚 wasn't getting the right readings.鈥�
Once at the hospital Ziglo said it didn't take long before the doctor was telling her they were moving her to Intensive Care Unit telling her 鈥渨e can't give you enough oxygen here.鈥�
Again the need to go to ICU was not registering the seriousness of the situation in Ziglo's mind. She thought it had to be a matter of needing the room in emergency.
In the elevator two staff were talking, Ziglo reflects now they likely thought her asleep. While not catching the entire conservation she does remember one saying 鈥渋t doesn't matter she'll be intubated right away.鈥�
鈥淚 remember wondering 'who are they talking about',鈥� she said.
Once in the ICU 鈥渁 nurse came in and told me my oxygen levels were concerning,鈥� said Ziglo, adding as they were asking for emergency numbers and next-of-kin the seriousness of her situation began to gain hold.
Looking back now she said she was likely at least partly delirious, and since she has seen at least one report were COVID-19 has 鈥渁 way of disconnecting pathways from your brain to the rest of your body,鈥� that was what was going on for me.
鈥淎t this point I didn't realize I was struggling to breath. I was texting Patty (her partner), but I don't remember doing it.鈥�
Ziglo had COVID-19, and as she was intubated the fear and panic of the situation set in.
鈥淏y this point I had no clue what was going on,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was just not breathing, not getting enough oxygen.鈥�
As Ziglo began to realize she was gasping for air the situation really hit home.
鈥淚 think that's when panic was really setting in ... Am I dying? My mind was going all over the place,鈥� she said.
So Ziglo looked inside for an anchor.
鈥淲hen I knew things were going downhill, and I knew I had to focus on my breathing I called on my guardians,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 called my two grandmas and my two grandpas, none of whom are with us.
鈥淚 had a conversation clear as day.
鈥淚 asked them to watch the door so that no one came in.
鈥淚 was not ready to die.
鈥淏ut, I needed their help so that I could just focus on my breathing.
鈥淭hey told me that they would make sure no one opened my door, and just focus on breathing again.鈥�
And then Ziglo found a tool inside the ICU room to use. She saw two hospital bulletins each fastened to the wall near the foot of her bed with four screws.
鈥滻 started counting the screws; one, two, three, four ... I counted them around and I'd count them across. I was playing these little games in my mind,鈥� she said, adding it calmed her.
At times she would stare at the cracks in the ceiling but realize 鈥淚 was gasping again so it was back to the screws.鈥�
For two days Ziglo laid in the ICU fighting panic counting the same eight screws.
鈥淚 was literally staring at the wall for two days. I probably slept, but I don't remember, I just kept counting those screws,鈥� she said.
And, then after 48-hours Ziglo felt just a little better.
鈥淪lowly I started getting better. My oxygen levels went up. Things improved as quickly as they had went down hill,鈥� she said.
After four days in ICU and 11 in hospital Ziglo was cleared to go home.
So where did Ziglo catch COVID?
It was likely from her partner, who is a member of a curling team that took part in a small four team event. One of the curlers went home to Swift Current early because they were not feeling well. She would test positive for COVID-19, and subsequent testing showed all 15 of 20 curlers with COVID.
鈥淏ut, I could have got it at the gas station too,鈥� said Ziglo, adding the source is almost impossible to pinpoint, although her partner feels bad she likely brought the bug home.
Now recovered, Ziglo said she hopes people realize this is a disease that can hit anyone whether you are in your 20s, or 80s, she is 47.
And, it can hit fast and hard.
鈥淚 was lucky,鈥� she said, but added if someone is feeling off call for some help and guidance.
鈥淟isten to your body,鈥� she urged.
