TORONTO -- Eighty-seven days after first being admitted to hospital to battle COVID-19, Jessie Jacobs was finally discharged Thursday morning.
As the 76-year-old emerged from the hospital, accompanied by the applause of health care workers, the Ontario woman was greeted by family members who haven鈥檛 seen her since April.
When she found out she was cleared for discharge, after spending the last three months fighting for her life, she was 鈥渘ervous,鈥 she told 麻豆影视.
鈥淏ut coming out and seeing all the people and wondering what was going on -- and [realizing] it was for me -- was unbelievable.鈥
Jacobs tested positive for COVID-19 on April 8. She was given oxygen in hospital, but as her condition worsened, it was clear more drastic measures needed to be taken.
With her children on FaceTime with her, she agreed to be intubated and put on a ventilator.
鈥淚 had to fight,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 just could not see myself giving in. I鈥檓 not like that. I鈥檓 not that kind of a person. So I did fight.鈥
The 76-year-old was on the ventilator, unable to communicate with her family at all, for a month.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been scary,鈥 Lisa Frank, her daughter, told 麻豆影视. 鈥淲e thought we were going to lose her multiple times.鈥
Jacobs was finally taken off the breathing machine on Mother鈥檚 Day, and was able to surprise her kids with a call from the ICU.
When her daughter picked up, she said her mother greeted her with 鈥淗i, Lias!鈥 鈥 an inside joke in the family.
鈥淚 used to spell my name wrong, that鈥檚 why,鈥 Lisa said. 鈥淎nd there she was, sitting there.鈥
But a month on life support had taken a toll on Jacobs. She was in hospital for another seven weeks, and had to re-learn how to walk.
In Canada, more than 68,000 people have recovered from COVID-19 after testing positive. In Ontario alone, more than 30,000 have recovered.
The exact toll that COVID-19 takes on survivors in the long-term is still not fully known, but those who were hit harder by the virus and needed intensive care 鈥 like Jacobs 鈥 can experience side-effects even after the infection clears. One such issue noted is a condition called post-intensive care syndrome, which can include persistent muscle weakness and memory issues.
Jacobs鈥 family calls her recovery a miracle.
鈥淚t was a roll of a dice, almost,鈥 her son, Mike Jacobs, told 麻豆影视.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been waiting for this day," Lisa said. "It鈥檚 a dream come true.鈥
And as restrictions loosen around the country, her family is urging people to keep taking precautions and following public health guidelines.
鈥淵ou could be 15, 30 or 40, and you could breeze it,鈥 Mike said. 鈥淏ut if you get it and you give [COVID-19] to someone older, they may not.鈥
Jacobs -- despite being in a high-risk category due to her age -- did manage to pull through. Three months ago, she promised her family she鈥檇 fight. And today, she kept her word.
