WIXOM, Mich. – An Entire Wixom family -- 10 people from four different households -- is recovering from the coronavirus (COVID-19), including a young leukemia survivor, a woman with diabetes and asthma and a 78-year-old man coming off chemotherapy.
Local 4 spoke with the Rajdl family about their coronavirus battle.
“The first person to get sick was Mackenzie,” Betsie Rajdl said. “She came down with some of the typical symptoms of a cough and congestion.”
The family was on vacation two weeks prior to seeing any symptoms, but they said they just as easily could have gotten the virus when they came home.
Rajdl said Mackenzie, her 8-year-old daughter, wasn’t the last to get the virus. Her in-laws were next, and then she herself tested positive.
“Followed up with my doctor when I spiked a fever and had a cough,” Rajdl said. “I tested positive.”
She said the virus traveled to each member of the family -- 10 total people in four different households.
“We were all quarantined -- in-laws, mom, sister,” she said. “We relied heavily on friends for getting us food and my mom’s medication picked up or delivered. If it weren’t for those people, I don’t know how we would function because our entire family network was shut down.”
Rajdl said it was scary because many members of her family are immunocompromised. Mackenzie is a leukemia survivor. Rajdl is diabetic and has asthma. Her 78-year-old father-in-law just finished chemotherapy, she said.
“My father-in-law is still very sick,” Rajdl said. “He is recovering slowly.”
The family has shown no symptoms now for several days in a row, she said. But they’re still taking precautions, such as wearing masks and gloves if they go out. They said nobody should put themselves at risk if they don’t have to.
“I don’t think they take into account, just because you aren’t sick, you go home and give it to mom or dad and end up in the hospital for weeks or worse,” said Mark Rajdl, who recovered from COVID-19. “The best thing is to stay home.”
The family feels blessed to have recovered, especially Mackenzie. Betsie said they are still worried about her father-in-law. He remains in Henry Ford West Bloomfield.