'It Was A Nightmare,' Salem Father, Daughter Back Home After COVID Puts Both In ICU
CHARLESTOWN (CBS) - Mikayla DeCelle needed a walker as she left the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Wednesday morning to head home to Salem.
The 12-year-old has been battling COVID for eight weeks now, with her father fighting right there along with her.
Both of them were admitted into the ICU in November after catching the virus before they could get vaccinated. At one point, Mikayla had to be intubated.
The father and daughter are now both out of the hospital and thankful beyond words to finally be going home, to be together again, as a family.
"There's no words you to describe to be honest with you. It was a nightmare, you know. I didn't know my daughter was hospitalized at the same time I was. I wasn't aware of that until I came out of the ICU," said Mike DeCelle.
"It definitely did damage but I'm definitely excited to go back home," Mikayla said.
"I don't want to start crying," her father said, "but I'm extremely grateful and I'll be indebted to people for the emotional support."
Both have since received their first doses of the vaccine and urge people to take it from them - be careful and stay safe.
As for what's next for the family, they are celebrating their sister Kylie's birthday Wednesday, along with all of the holidays they missed.
Next up for the DeCelle family - a soon to be baby brother, due in a few weeks.