Hoboken Woman, 34: 'I Was Scared I Wouldn't Wake Up' Due To Virus

HOBOKEN, NJ — As part of Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla's Tuesday night coronavirus update — in which he reported two more fatalities among residents of the mile-square city — he also shared a personal account of a young resident's struggle with the virus. (The U.S. covid death toll topped 338,000 Tuesday night.)

"Given the trend of residents under 40 contracting the virus in Hoboken, I want to share this first-hand account of a resident’s COVID-19 story," Bhalla wrote in his Nixle update on Tuesday. "I share this to reinforce that even if you’re healthy, exercise, eat right and don’t normally get sick, COVID-19 could still play a major role in affecting your health and well-being. Take it from Melanie, a Hoboken resident – please continue to protect yourself and take the necessary safety precautions."

(Note: To read about a young Hoboken mom and reality star's struggle with the virus back in April, click here.)

The story of Melanie, 34:

I was so careful – until I wasn’t…

I am a 34-year-old female who works out regularly and have been running 3.5 miles 3-4x a week. I have been keeping my distance, staying safe, shopping at irregular hours or ditching and dodging at the store, eating outside and even running in the back skirts of town to stay away from others. This was in the beginning when everything was new and unknown of this scary virus, and all we really knew was it mostly affected the elders or people with preexisting conditions.

A few months later, cases started going down and eventually so did my shield. As numbers were going down, places were opening up, there was a sense of safety that was felt.

I still consistently wore a mask, I stayed away from people that I didn’t know, but without realizing, I let my guard down by going out to eat with friends or speaking with the staff, it didn’t feel right to wear your mask, it was almost rude.

With that feeling, I ended up getting Covid-19.

It was a Monday after a weekend of going to dinner and having a few drinks, I was eating my breakfast, banana and peanut butter, the taste was off, I questioned if the peanut butter was old?

All day I made an excuse as to why the taste was off. I had a doctor appointment that night I still went to, but that night, I had garlic bread with dinner and you can’t make an excuse for not tasting garlic.

Yup, I officially knew what was wrong, I had Covid-19. The next day I got tested, stayed home until I received my results, and of course it came back positive.

I started to feel body aches and felt feverish, but I never had a fever, so I thought I should be fine, right? After a few days, the fatigue set in, and I felt more and more sick, still no fever (100.4) so I continued to try and work (I’m working from home, how hard to sit at my desk in my living room?)

Day 8 came, I couldn’t work anymore, my body was so weak and breathing became harder, but still no actual fever. I didn’t understand so I bought 2 thermometers, one under the tongue, one forehead one like what public places use, and while I wasn’t getting a temperature higher than 99.6, my body would tell you differently with how it felt.

The breathing, it wasn’t respirator-hard but it was a feeling I’ve never had before, and it was uncomfortable. On top of this, I was scared I wouldn’t wake up because of my breathing and then nightmares came and it made it extremely hard to sleep, one of the mandatory things to do while sick, was almost impossible.

Then the mental aspect of being quarantined alone because you don’t want anyone else to get it, takes a toll on you too.

At times, I felt like I needed to go to the hospital. But I knew if I did, it would be worse, so at my weakest, I had to take care of myself (no parents, friends, family, etc).

My worst days, 8 to 11, I wanted to know why this happened to me? Why someone at my age, who worked out, eats healthy, only drinks on the weekend, hangs out with healthy people, how did I get this?

I thought about what I did and where I let my guard down. I went out for dinner (outside) but knowing the staff, it was “unfriendly” to wear your mask while speaking with them. I am not saying it was them, it could have been people walking around me while I ate, I will never know but it wasn’t worth it.

Covid-19 isn’t a joke, it isn’t fun (there is only so many Lifetime and Jailbird movies one can watch) and it has long term effects. I went from 3.5 miles 3-4x a week to an inhaler, and not being able to speak a sentence without gasping for air.

The ONLY positive about this, is that I get to share my story. When you actually know someone who has had it, it opens your eyes and I do hope this gives you fear.

This can and will get to you if you’re not careful and don’t take the steps to stop it. Don’t be selfish and don’t fall into peer pressure, do the right thing and stay home or make sure you wear a mask no matter who you’re speaking to.

I am 34 years old, I worked out and ran 3.5 miles 4x a week, and I got it because I was so careful, until I wasn’t, and it can happen to you too.

— Melanie S.

Mayor Bhalla reported Tuesday night that Hoboken now has had a total of 35 COVID-19 related deaths, and an adjusted total of 1,940 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Hoboken University Medical Center is treating 21 patients with COVID-19, including four Hoboken residents.

Hoboken, a city of 53,000 people across the river from Manhattan, was one of the first cities in the region to begin closing facilities when the virus began spreading in the U.S.

In June, after months of closures and isolation, the city went a week with only one case, and in August, there were only six cases in one week. But cases began rising again in autumn.

National trends

• Use this link to see the updated fatality count in the United States.
• More than 900 health care workers have died of the virus nationally.
• Others are simultaneously fighting misinformation and hoaxes as they try to fight the virus.
• Some report having long-term effects from the virus.

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