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Central Texas woman suffers from heart failure after COVID

Cornisha Riley had no major health conditions prior to testing positive for COVID-19.

TEMPLE, Texas — Researchers are still trying to understand the long-term health impacts of COVID-19, health impacts one Temple woman is facing first-hand.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says post-COVID conditions can include a wide range of ongoing health problems that can last weeks, months or even years.

Temple beautician and native Cornisha Riley lived a normal life before testing positive for COVID back in October 2020. 

Riley had the normal symptoms including a runny nose, cough, and shortness of breath.

Now almost three years later, she never expected to be dealing with COVID long haul.

"During Halloween of 2020, I went to go out with my kids have a little fun and I realized I couldn't breathe out. I could breathe in, but I couldn't breathe out. Throughout all of the illnesses and sicknesses, doctors are telling me my symptoms are happening because of COVID," Riley explained.

Riley was ordered by her cardiologist to use an oxygen tank to help with her breathing in November 2022. She was also diagnosed with heart failure. 

"We can't really blame the doctors because they didn't know what to look for. It was a new virus. But the whole time, it was slowly killing my heart," said Riley.

"This is hard when you have two teenagers, especially with this year being my son's prom. This is my son's senior year and I have plans to make it so big for him but they're now limited."

Riley has put all of her faith in God and a new medication. The hope is that it will help her heart receive oxygen the way it should.

"I also pray that anybody who has suffered COVID and feels anything on their chest, go ask questions," Riley advised. "Do not go without it."

The CDC explained that experts are still determining which types of medications or treatments can help to relieve the effects of post-COVID conditions. However, there are established ways people can manage the stress associated with a post-COVID condition. 

Steps from the CDC can be found here

To help Cornisha with medical bills, here is a link to her GoFundMe.

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