North Texas Woman Recovering From West Nile Virus Scare
RICHARDSON (CBSDFW.COM) - A Richardson woman says she is recovering from a frightening experience with the West Nile virus.
"I don't spend that much time outside," said Jonie Walters, who says she doesn't know when she was bitten by a mosquito. "Walking in and out of the house, you know? I leave the door open for the cats."
She does remember the exhaustion and anxiety that overwhelmed her two weeks ago.
"I've never been so scared it my life. It was absolutely terrible. And thank goodness, my son Miles was there," she said.
Miles Walters knew his mother was sick and grew worried when she stopped picking up the phone and wouldn't come to the door.
With her downstairs' neighbor permission, he climbed up the balcony, jimmied the door, and found her on her couch inside.
"She didn't know where she was, who she was, what the day was. She had crazy eyes," he said.
Miles says, it took five days for doctors to diagnose his mother.
"West Nile was the last thing they came to," he said.
Now, weeks later, she is feeling better.
"I feel better every day," Jonie said.
Miles, though, says the experience has made him much more cautious.
"It's ridiculous how simple something like that could be - putting on bug spray," Miles said.
Dallas County reports it's had five residents diagnosed with the West Nile Virus so far this year.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows infections peaked in the months of August and September.
