El Paso woman beats COVID-19 after overcoming brain tumor
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — A COVID-19 diagnosis is especially dangerous for people with underlying health conditions.
That’s why one El Paso family was so scared when their mother tested positive for coronavirus, just three years after having a brain tumor removed.
Rachel Gutierrez Madrid’s family said she suffers from epilepsy and became legally blind after having a tumor removed from her brain in 2017.
Gutierrez Madrid’s family said in mid-March, she started getting sick, with tests for the flu and strep throat coming back negative.
After hearing that her brother, who she had been in contact with, tested positive for COVID-19, Gutierrez Madrid went to get tested for coronavirus.
The test came back positive.
“It was scary for my family because, we all know this is going on,” said David Gutierrez. “But once it actually hits someone you know, especially with my mom’s immune system being so weak, that’s when we said this is really serious.”
Two days later, Gutierrez Madrid checked into University Medical Center for more than a week, as her condition got steadily worse.
But as the weeks passed, she began to improve, eventually checking out of the hospital.
After a week without showing symptoms, she finally tested negative for COVID-19 on Saturday.
“She’s honestly the strongest person I know,” said David Gutierrez. “I was scared for my mom, but I couldn’t show that to her. And she was like, ‘Mijo, if I can take brain cancer, a brain tumor, then I can take anything.’”
The family said Gutierrez Madrid would be tested again in a week to confirm that she’s completely free of COVID-19.
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