Holly woman sent back to hospital after beating COVID-19

Collene Marx is excited to get her life back to normal, after recovering from coronavirus. She first tested positive at the beginning of Nov. 

A couple weeks ago, Marx thoughts she was better and went to the Holly Urgent Care to get another test to see if she could go back to work. 

"I was feeling short of breath that day, but I thought it was just the after effects of COVID," Marx said. "I put on makeup and everything, first time I have done that in a while."

But as Nurse Practitioner Michelle Most examined Marx, she found something. 

"I could see just talking to her, while she looked very well, I could see that little bit of shortness of breath, even though she said I feel great, I feel great," Most said. 

That's when Most and her colleague made an alarming discovery.

"She was what we call happy hypoxic, meaning your oxygen levels are low but you look good and you're happy, you're talking and walking around," Most said. 

Normal levels are usually at least 95%. Marx said her oxygen level was low at 87%. Most told her if it got worse, she would have to go to the emergency room right away

Most gave Marx a pulse oximeter so she could monitor her oxygen level from home. Marx said it dropped next day and she ended up in the hospital with pneumonia.  

"I thought everything would be fine and dandy," Marx said. "They then gave me a treatment and imagine by surprise, they sent me right to the COVID floor. I didn't realize myself the seriousness of the situation even, but Michele did." 

Marx said thankfully she tested negative and went home a few days later. Meanwhile most, who also works in a nearby hospital, said patients come to the ER with Happy Hypoxia every day. 

"It can progress very quickly from 88& saturation to 80% saturation and then all of a sudden you end up on a ventilator and it's very hard to get off that ventilator once you get on it," Most said. 

Most said in addition to COVID-19 symptoms like shortness of breath, you should also watch out for brain fog and dizziness. 

Meanwhile, Marx said every day she's grateful to Holly Urgent Care for saving her life.