TAMPA, Fla. — A Hillsborough County mother has recovered from COVID-19 after testing positive during her pregnancy.
Lety Alvarez contracted the virus in July. She said she was extremely sick with a fever, chills and had difficulty breathing.
"My eyes were all black. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't keep anything down. I would eat and I would throw it up. The last 24 hours of my pregnancy were hell," she recalled.
She was hospitalized at Brandon Regional Hospital. After delivering twins, she was placed in a COVID unit. Her twins were born premature and were placed in a NICU.
"They came in and said 'we have to move you to the COVID unit, you have to say goodbye to your husband' and that was the worst thing that could happen. I was crying," she said.
One baby tested positive for the virus but did not get sick. Alvarez had pneumonia and needed oxygen.
"I had a really bad pneumonia on both my lungs," she said.
She was hospitalized for about a week.
ABC Action News first shared her story in July when she needed a plasma donation. She said she received so much support.
RELATED: Hillsborough County mom delivers twins after testing positive for COVID-19
"We got so many donations. It was absolutely crazy how many people donated. I mean people shared it in South Africa. It got shared in Pennsylvania. Another woman tried to take a flight over here to try and donate," she said.
She said she was treated with plasma and Remdesivir.
She encourages COVID-19 survivors to donate plasma. She said she regained her strength after receiving plasma.
"Definitely take it serious. Definitely wear your mask, wash your hands. If you know anyone elderly or pregnant or high-risk, don't go visit them if you don't have to cause you could potentially get someone sick," said Alvarez.
Alvarez said she feels well and the babies are healthy.
"I still can't believe I have twins! I tell my mom sometimes, tell my husband, 'we have twins!' They were so little. They were three pounds," she said.
