Ruthie Ramirez is a single mother from Miami. She was an employee-turned-patient at the Miami Institute. On April 7, Ramirez tested positive for coronavirus. She was immediately rushed to the ICU and was put on ventilation.
Weeks went by, and her condition worsened. While on a ventilator, all she could ever think of was her kids, and that she had to fight for her kids.
A Fight For Her Kids
Every day, Ruthie's motivation to wake up is her kids. So when she was faced with a life and death situation, all she could ever think of is that she's all that her two kids have. "I sat there and thought, I'm all they have. I have to keep pushing," Ramirez said.
She was so worried about what could happen to her children if she is no longer around. All she wanted was to get back to them, no matter what.
A Glimmer of Hope
As everyone knows, there is no known cure to the coronavirus yet. Also, there is no available vaccine for this disease. However, Ramirez had a glimmer of hope when the doctor suggested an experimental treatment. This treatment is called mesenchymal stem cell treatment, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Ramirez's sister was given a power of attorney, and then Ruthie was all set for the treatment.
The experimental treatment has not been proven to be responsible for the recovery, but according to Ramirez, as soon as she was given the treatment, she started improving and felt better.
What is the mesenchymal stem cell treatment?
According to the Miami Cancer Institute, the mesenchymal stem cell is from the umbilical cord lining. This stem cell is particularly known for reducing severe lung inflammation.
This treatment is very new but has been seen effective to the four other patients in the Miami Cancer Institute. One of them is already out of the Intensive Care Unit, although continuing medication.
COVID-19 Free
Although it took some time, Ramirez is now COVID-19 free. After spending a month in the ICU, she is now how with her two kids.
When she was released from the hospital, her daughter Sofia, who is eight years old, and son Isaac, who is five years old, were waiting to welcome their mother.
The meeting was very emotional for the three, while all of Ruthie's friends, co-workers, and family were cheering on her recovery.
Even after a month of being tied up in bed, the exhaustion seemed gone when Ruthie saw her children. "Just seeing them was awesome," she said.
Thankful to Everyone
Ruthie's battle against COVID-19 was difficult, especially because she was worried about her children during the entire time.
Yet, she is beyond grateful to the medical staff who helped her recover from the illness.
Aside from the medical staff, Ruthie is also thankful for her work friends and family, who made sure that her kids were okay. Her friends from work helped her sister during her time at the hospital by providing them with food.
For Ruthie, knowing that the people she works with are very supportive means a lot to her.
