(Omaha, NE) -- An Omaha mother describes her experience of battling COVID-19 and falling into a coma, all while she was expecting a baby.
Tiere Scott White tells WOWT 6 News that it was a scary and confusing time. “Kind of looking around like…what’s this, what’s going on here."
White is now a mother of 9, after giving birth to her daughter while in a coma. Tiere told 6 News that while pregnant, she went for a routine checkup in early October. During her checkup Tiere learned that her blood pressure was high and that she was positive for COVID-19. “When I got those results, I went home, and I quarantined myself.”
She said she went back to the hospital a short time later because she had trouble breathing. According to the CDC, the risk of having COVID grows higher with pregnant women – especially with respiratory complications.
Once back at Methodist, Tiere fell into a coma. “I don’t remember the whole process. I just remember walking into the emergency room and then I opened my eyes and it was mid-November,” said White.
And while in the coma for 33 days, Tiere says she almost lost her life. “I apparently flat lined two times. Because of my lung capacity, my breathing. Twice…so it was because of my breathing really. COVID complications.”
But she survived and had her baby 8 weeks early while still in her coma. She says her newborn already has the COVID antibodies. “Absolutely fine. She was born 5lbs 5oz. She’s happy healthy and whole, and great and spoiled. They really spoiled her while I was away.”
COVID, a coma, two flatlines, and she beat all the odds while having a newborn. Although she’s in the process of re-learning how to walk, she says keeping a good mindset is important. “I mean I’m not gonna lie sometimes I get down and out especially at night when I’m laying here. Just having those struggles here and there about going to sleep and all that but aside from that yes positivity is the key. You have to remain happy and positive to try to get through it all."
Tiere says she was able to come home on Christmas Eve. She is now using a walker for short distant walking.
(Photo by WOWT 6 News)