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Local woman educating the public after she was diagnosed with West Nile Virus

Posted at 5:37 AM, Jul 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-09 06:37:38-04

South Texas – Standing water in many areas of the Coastal Bend after recent rainfall is raising concerns.

After more than three months in and out of the hospital and a year spent in different rehab facilities, Patsy Bremer is learning her new normal after being diagnosed with West Nile Virus in May of 2017.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRIdQv1A6Xk?rel=0&showinfo=0]

"I’m doing much better, but it’s still a slow process. I still have trouble thinking sometimes. I’ll be saying something and my mind just goes blank," Patsy Bremer said.

Bremer’s was the first confirmed case of the virus in South Texas in 2017.

Her case was severe and quickly progressed to encephalitis, which caused her brain to swell at a dangerously fast rate.

She had difficulty speaking, and did not recognize her husband or grandchildren at times.

"We’ve been married many years and that’s probably the most scared I’ve ever been," John Bremer said.

Bremer said she has concerns about mosquito infestation in our area.

"I could’ve been bitten right here in my backyard. I could’ve been bitten at the mall, or at a Hooks game, or out at the ranch," Patsy Bremer said.

Her husband John said it’s a miracle his wife is still living today.

While he doesn’t suggest living in fear of contracting the virus, he does advise that people be proactive.

"You just have to be prepared for them. I wouldn’t let them control your life or be afraid of them, but I would be cautiously concerned that they can cause some serious problems," John Bremer said.