Susan Janett says she was challenged by a friend to make a “public service announcement” about COVID-19, and so she has.
“It’s no joke,” says the Verona resident, who is one of the co-founders of the long-time animal charity Rosemarie’s Rescue Ranch and the new resale shop on Bloomfield Avenue that supports its work. “For you naysayers out there, I’m living proof that the virus is real. That it finds you. I stayed safe. I social distanced. I rarely left home. And for three weeks I suffered like I’ve never suffered before.”
According to the most recent daily statistics from Essex County, COVID-19 has killed 14 people in Verona since March and our rate of positive cases continues to climb, to 162 as of Monday, September 28.
“I’ve had the flu before,” Janett posted to her Facebook page. “This was so much worse, incomparably worse. It was like having severe food poisoning 24/7 for weeks on end on top of having the flu. The pain was excruciating.”
“My close personal friend, Rich Goldberg, the president of the wonderful company I work for, helped me choose, in advance, which local hospital would be the safest for me if things went bad,” says Janett starkly. “We talked about my fear of ventilators and my desire not to go on one. My family had to thoroughly care for me. I could barely sit up.”
And though Janett is through the worst of COVID-19, she is still dealing with its aftermath. “I’m still coughing, and I still have an upper respiratory infection,” she says.
“Wear your masks,” Janett cautions. “Social distance. Respect the virus. It’s real. And it’s deadly. I was lucky.”
Susan, Sorry to hear about your illness but glad the worst is behind you. Continue to improve and gain strength.