Fort Worth area family describes fight to get COVID-19 test as symptoms worsen
Cami McCraw’s doctor is sure she’s been infected with the COVID-19 virus.
But, after exhibiting almost every symptom, doctors told the family that Tarrant County Public Health won’t approve her getting tested, her daughter Alyssa said on Friday.
Now the 61-year-old is quarantined at her home, treating her symptoms as if it is coronavirus.
“Everyone is saying online or on the news, just make sure you get tested and talk to your doctor,” Alyssa McCraw said. “But that isn’t how this works.”
McCraw said she and her mom wanted to come forward with their story to share with others just exactly how hard it is to get a test in Tarrant County.
The worry is that there are many others in the county who are infected but haven’t been tested. As of Friday afternoon, Tarrant County officials have said that 29 people have been confirmed infected with COVID-19. Two have recovered.
Vinny Taneja, director of public health, disputed the doctor’s claims and said his department is not a gatekeeper for testing.
Anyone with symptoms (dry cough, fever, shortness of breath) and a doctor’s approval is eligible to be tested. A patient approved for testing by a doctor could get tested by a private lab, such as Quest Diagnostics.
However, if the doctor is seeking a test through the public health lab, they would have to get approval from that lab.
Taneja said his department wants people to get tested and that they have to follow the federal guidelines for approving a test. He said the department sent an alert to medical providers telling them that they can test their patients through private labs.
“As hospital systems add labs, we’ve sent clarifications over and over that you’re free to use your judgment to get a test from another lab,” he said.
COVID-19 symptoms
About 10 days ago, Cami McCraw started having some gastrointestinal issues. A newly released report from China showed that about half of coronavirus patients there complained about diarrhea and other digestive symptoms.
Her family didn’t think much of it at the time and on Wednesday, Cami McCraw went to an already planned doctor’s appointment.
“Her blood work was great,” Alyssa McCraw said. “Then about five hours later, she went from being fine to not.”
In the middle of the night, Cami McCraw was rushed to the emergency room at Medical City North Hills for what felt like the flu. But tests indicated she didn’t have a flu or strep throat.
“After about six hours, they sent her home,” Alyssa McCraw said. “They said she had a virus.”
At home, Cami McCraw slept nearly all day long.
Her condition worsened at about 2 a.m. on Friday.
“She went back to the same ER and was admitted for pneumonia with another underlying virus,” Alyssa McCraw said.
She was put into an isolation room where only her husband, Randy, was able to visit.
“She was there for six days and after a series of tests, the infectious disease doctor said we need to run a viral blood panel,” Alyssa McCraw said.
However, that blood panel wasn’t specific enough to test for COVID-19.
“At this point, since everything was negative and she was getting worse, the doctor said we need to see if we can get approval for the COVID-19 test,” Alyssa McCraw said.
Cami McCraw has underlying conditions, her daughter said. And at this point, her fever was getting worse. She had chest pain, chills, trouble breathing and she was shaking.
“The doctor called the health department to request the COVID-19 test and it was denied because they said her symptoms weren’t severe,” McCraw said. “They were blaming the flu and fever on pneumonia.”
Doctors sent Cami McCraw home. McCraw is the daughter of the late Luther Adkins, a longtime Fort Worth Star-Telegram executive and has a radio show with her partner John Roberts on KKGM 1630-AM. She’s known to listeners as Cami Bradley.
McCraw does not work at the station physically and hasn’t been to their studio in two years, so people who work or visit the studio don’t have to worry about her infecting them, Alyssa McCraw said.
Treat it as coronavirus
Cami McCraw’s discharge instructions were simple: Treat everything like it was COVID-19.
Now, the McCraws — Alyssa, Cami and Randy — are in self-quarantine and closely monitoring Cami McCraw’s condition.
“I’ve never seen her this sick in my life, even after an emergency surgery two years ago,” Alyssa McCraw said. “It’s scary. She was very wobbly when we got her home and she fell very hard in the bathroom on Wednesday night.”
Cami McCraw’s fever is about 101.
“I have to help her wash her hands,” McCraw said. “She’s not elderly by any means but she’s not well.”
Alyssa McCraw also worries about her father, who is in his 60s, and the possible exposure he’s had to the virus.
As far as her own health, she’s doing everything she can to keep from getting sick.
“I’m not fearful,” she said. “If I get sick, I get sick.”
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 2:46 PM.
