A year later, Charlotte mom still struggles with long-haul effects of COVID-19

One year ago, Wendy Cort made a triumphant discharge from the hospital. Cell phone videos show the nurse educator and mother of three arriving home to a crowd of loved ones cheering her on--a warm welcome home.

But despite that initial victory over COVID-19, Cort is still battling the effects of the virus.

"I've actually begun to face the reality that... this may be my new normal," Cort said.

Cort was working at a COVID-19 testing site last March when she first got sick and eventually went to the hospital.

"I was on a ventilator for 15 days and actually got much worse before I got better. I think I had every complication in the book," Cort said.

Survival was in her future though, and after more than 20 days getting hospital care, Cort was back home, where she rehabbed, teaching herself to walk and eat again.

Post-COVID, she experienced a wide range of strange symptoms, like blurry vision and hair loss. Some health effects improved.