CLEVELAND — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is calling on all Ohioans to make a change as coronavirus cases continue to soar across the state.
"We've got to get control of this, we've got to really focus on it," DeWine said on Thursday. "This is really a critical, critical, point. We are seeing some real increases in the hospitals."
Caregivers are getting sick at record rates, according to the state and hospital staff. The Cleveland Clinic says about 630 of its caregivers are currently off of work due to community spread. Marilyn Schneider is an administrator for the Cleveland Clinic and she knows the feeling all too well. She said she thought coronavirus was going to kill her when she contracted it in the spring.
"It felt like someone had put dirty rebar through my knee caps and I thought I'm in trouble," said Schneider. "I remember the director of ICU coming in and saying is there anything we can do for you? And I said please put something over my window, I don't want my co-workers to see me die."
Schneider's temperature rose to 104.5 within 15 minutes. She said she experienced hallucinations and she was put on a ventilator.
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"I didn't get VIP treatment because I was in administration, I got VIP treatment because I was dying," said Schneider. "I had a moment where it was very out of body and I met five people and one was my deceased husband. They all told me I had to go back."
Today, Schenider is here to tell her story and the seriousness of where we are in the state of Ohio.
"If you don't want to wear a mask, just go home and stick a pipe down your throat and tell me if you want to wear a mask. Second, If your eyes are the windows to soul, I don't need to see your nose and mouth."
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