“One night I laid down and I couldn't get up the next morning. I couldn’t move nothing.”

This is part of a series on Grace Heights Health and Rehabilitation — which had over 40 residents and 35 staff members test positive for COVID. 

MORGANTON, NORTH CAROLINA: I grew up right here in Burke County. I graduated from Highland school in 1966 and went to watchmaking school. I worked in Winston-Salem town jewels for 25 years. Then I came here to Morganton and I've been here ever since. 

End of January I wasn't doing nothing. I was just sitting at the house really. One night I laid down and I couldn't get up the next morning. I couldn’t move nothing. That's when I told mama to call the ambulance.

I went to the hospital and they gave me a thorough check. They didn't know what was going on. Finally, they said I had pneumonia and fluid in my left side. I had an operation there where they drilled a hole in my back to take the fluid out of my lungs. I was in ICU for about two weeks. 

I have polio so I was walking on crutches until this happened. Now, I can't even walk. I don't know what's wrong. I told my mother I was going to a rest home since I can’t walk and I've been here ever since. 

That's when I caught the virus. I got sick one night. It was an awful feeling. Believe that. I lost consciousness and everything. I didn't know if I was going or coming really, but I never gave up. I was worried. I was scared. I kept asking, "What's wrong with me?" I didn't know if I was going to live or die. Nobody knew. I just kept fighting. After a three week fight I started to feel better. Now, I’m learning to walk again.