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I was diagnosed with Covid19 on March 18th 2020 just 10 days after my full time and part time jobs furloughed me from my positions. It was strange I have never in my 53 years of life ever gotten that il in such a very quick period. The first day I started feeling I’ll it was just sneezing, 2nd day horrible cough and a fever of 103° I normally can break a fever with tylenol but that just seemed to make it worse. 3rd day fever was 106° I was rushed to the hospital by the 4th day I was on a respirator and continued to be incubated for 3 months. No one had a chance to ask me if I had anyone that needed to be contacted and I was not coherent enough to give any information. The nurses were amazing, however I dont remember the doctors that treated me. They obviously did good because I am alive. It was a horrible experience and not many patients that I was roomed with survived. Each time I awoke there would be someone new next to me. I spent exactly 4 months and 12 days hospitalized and some days I prayed for God to just take me from here. When I was released early July 2020 that is when my true nightmare began. I came home to not having one. My two dogs were given away and my apartment was now someone else’s and my things were either sold or thrown away. Because no one from my apartment management heard anything from the hospital they just assumed I abandoned the property and my pets. I had lived there for over 3 years never late on rent and rent always paid in full. So I took what was left of my savings and rented a room from a girl that had an ad on craigslist. Paid the deposit and what was asked for rent, moved what things I did get back and things I had just purchased for myself into the room 5 days later the girl changed the locks and kept my money and property. Come to find out that this same girl had done the same thing to 7 other people in a 3 months span. I have not fully recovered from the virus I cough everyday, I cant perform my job duties as well as prior to getting Covid19 and everyday I have underlined feelings of hopelessness. I now live in my car, I go sometimes weeks without a daily personal care regimen. My teeth are also starting to break into pieces. I am not sure if this is a result of Covid19 virus or the fact that my meals these days lack proper nutrients. I never recieved Albany cares act from unemployment or any funding whatsoever and Georgia come to the understanding gave more money to people committing fraud then to people that actually needed and was eligible to receive funding. So daily I have to tell myself that there must be a reason why I survived just to keep me from wanting to die.

– Rhonda Lipsey, Georgia

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