After a small family gathering with her immediate family, Glen’s sisters took her out to brunch, followed by a shopping trip. Glen noticed she didn’t have much energy, but thought it was because she was home from work and out of her normal routine.

“My asthma was starting to act up and I was using my inhaler more and more,” Glen said. “I also tried going to CareSpot for a nebulizer treatment, but I couldn’t get in right away because of the people getting tested for COVID-19.”

Glen used her old nebulizer thinking it would help her breathing. She was in complete denial that she could have contracted the coronavirus.

The following week, Glen could not work a full shift because of her coughing and wheezing. After communicating with her supervisor, she knew she needed to get tested.

Hearing this news started a downward spiral in her physical health and mental well-being.

“Immediately, I began to feel anxiety and feared for my family members who were living in my house,” Glen said. My daughter kept me calm about quarantining and getting everything under control.”

When her symptoms didn’t improve, Glen was rushed to the UF Health Shands E.R. by her daughter.

“They triaged me out in the circle in front of the E.R., and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through. My daughter couldn’t come in with me,” Glen said.

Less than three hours after her arrival, Glen was admitted to the medical ICU, also known as Unit 82. Over four days, the nurses, physicians and research team monitored her breathing, hooked her up to oxygen and drew her blood until she improved enough to move to the medical/surgical unit of UF Health Shands Hospital, also known as Unit 75.

Glen made small improvements, but continued to test positive.

One of her doctors, Mohamad Taha, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of hospital medicine in the UF College of Medicine, made a huge impact on Glen because he always put her comfort first.

The entire care team made her feel comfortable even though she could not have her daughter or other family members there.

While Glen was thankful to be in the recovery process, she was still weak from being completely bedridden for several days. Normal functions like going to the bathroom and walking were difficult and she had to relearn basic things.

After being in the hospital for seven days, Glen’s nurses began weaning her off of oxygen and her breathing improved significantly.

However, eight COVID-19 tests later, her results were still positive.

“The hardest part was hearing my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren saying ‘Mama, when are you coming home?’ I really tried as hard as I could to get better for them, to see their faces on FaceTime,” Glen said.

Finally, on July 20, Taha asked if she wanted to go home.

Routine follow-ups with her primary care physician were necessary, as were physical therapy sessions three times a week.

Glen was also monitored by Christopher Harden, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of pulmonary medicine in the UF College of Medicine, after her bought with COVID caused her to develop pulmonary fibrosis, or scarring of the lungs. Glen’s lungs are functioning at about 85%.

Glen’s triumph in the fight against COVID-19 came when she was one of the first UF Health Shands employees to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in late December.

She says she made the decision to get vaccinated when thinking about her traumatic health scare and stay in the ICU.

“I could never get that sick again,” Glen said.

After everything she went through in 2020, Direne Glen is once again focused on the two things that matter the most to her.