99-year-old woman released from hospital after beating COVID-19

Friday, September 11, 2020
99-year-old goes home after beating COVID-19
It was a happy day for Anna Jo Thomas and her daughter but previously, it had been a stressful week for both.

LUBBOCK, Texas -- A 99-year-old woman is back home with her family after winning her battle against COVID-19.

The halls were full of cheers and claps as Anna Jo Thomas left the hospital. It was a happy day for Thomas and her daughter but previously, it had been a stressful week for both.

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Marilyn Dixon said she was told her mother had a 50/50 chance of surviving.

"I kept thinking to myself, 'This is not how I wanted the end of my mother's life to be,'" Dixon said. "Like this, with being alone. I collected myself and thought, 'If anybody can beat this, mother can.'"

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Dixon said her mother was exposed to the virus by her driver. Once exposed, Thomas quarantined for 15 days. When the 15 days were up and Thomas showed no symptoms of COVID-19, she went to a beauty appointment.

Dixon told KCBD she was with her mother but was running an errand when the hair dresser ran up to her and told her Thomas had collapsed.

It was when Thomas was taken to the hospital that she had tested positive for COVID-19.

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"I'm a three time terminal cancer survivor, and my second go-around was with malignant melanoma in my lung," the man said.

Dr. Prakash Shrestha, the medical director for Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship at Covenant Health, said Thomas showed an enthusiastic attitude since day one.

After a hard fought battle, Thomas was finally headed home. She was also given a cake in celebration of her upcoming 100th birthday.