Washakie County's first COVID patient now recovering at home

by Karla Pomeroy

Northern Wyoming News

WORLAND - Grateful to be alive, Lory August of Worland, Washakie County’s first COVID-19 case, shared her story Friday with the Northern Wyoming News.

Her message, “You can beat this, be positive, you can survive.”

She has been battling cancer for three years and for 10 days she self-isolated at home thinking she had pneumonia.

A visit to her doctor in Thermopolis on March 24, Dr. Bischoff, for a CT scan showed her lungs “were a mess.” She was placed in an isolation room, tested for influenza, strep and other viruses. After they came back negative she was tested for novel coronavirus 2019. The test came back positive on March 26.

Lory said she was told by her health care providers three times that she likely would not make it, but she kept fighting and people kept praying.

While she thanks the doctors and nurses for going above and beyond, she praises God for her recovery. She said, “I got a miracle from God or I would not be here. It’s thanks to Jesus I am home.”

Lory was released from Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital on Thursday. She must self-isolate at home for seven days while they await her latest COVID-19 test.

Dan August said, “It’s a blessing to have my wife home. The outpouring of blessings from this town is exceptional. We put this out there to help make this a positive, compared to all negatives out there.”

Lory August added, “God bless everyone in Worland and Thermopolis.”

Read more from this interview and Lory August’s battle and recovery in next week’s Thermopolis Independent Record.