Skip to main content
mayologo1
  • Patient Portal
  • Pay Bill Online
  • Request an Appointment
    • Services

      Featured Services

      • Cardiology (Heart)
      • Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Digestive Care)
      • Neurosurgery
      • Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB-GYN)
      • Oncology (Cancer)
      • Orthopedics & Orthopedic Surgery
      • Pain Medicine
      • Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
      • Primary Care
      • Sports Medicine
      • Surgery
      • Urology

      View all services
    • Providers
    • Locations

      Minnesota

      • Adams
      • Albert Lea
      • Austin
      • Belle Plaine
      • Blooming Prairie
      • Butterfield
      • Caledonia
      • Cannon Falls
      • Fairmont
      • Faribault
      • Janesville
      • Kenyon
      • Lake City
      • Le Sueur
      • Mankato
      • Montgomery
      • New Prague
      • New Richland
      • Northfield
      • Owatonna
      • Plainview
      • Red Wing
      • Rochester
      • Sherburn
      • St. James
      • St. Peter
      • Waseca
      • Waterville
      • Wells
      • Zumbrota

      Wisconsin

      • Arcadia
      • Barron
      • Bloomer
      • Chetek
      • Chippewa Falls
      • Eau Claire
      • Ellsworth
      • Glenwood City
      • Holmen
      • La Crosse
      • Menomonie
      • Mondovi
      • Onalaska
      • Osseo
      • Prairie du Chien
      • Rice Lake
      • Sparta
      • Tomah

      Iowa

      • Decorah
      • Lake Mills

      View map
    • Classes/Events
    • Blog
    • Wellness
    • Referrals

    Recent Posts

    • Drinking bottled water towel on neck
      Speaking of Health
      Preventing kidney stones before they form
      October 03, 2023
    • Tea with honey and lemon
      Featured Topic
      Upper respiratory infection season has arrived
      October 02, 2023
    • Two people eating outdoors
      Speaking of Health
      What's that sound? A heart murmur can be innocent or serious
      September 28, 2023
    Featured Topics
    • Behavioral Health
    • Cancer
    • Children's Health (Pediatrics)
    • Exercise and Fitness
    • Heart Health
    • Men's Health
    • Neurosurgery
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Orthopedic Health
    • Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery
    • Women's Health
    Join our email newsletter
    Featured Topic
    Tuesday, May 12, 2020

    Staff member shares experience after COVID-19 diagnosis

    Topics in this Post
    • COVID-19
    • Infectious Diseases
    Kari Houser

    Kari Houser, operations manager at Mayo Clinic Health System – Franciscan Healthcare in La Crosse, Wisconsin, says she was shocked when she tested positive for COVID-19.

    "My husband and I had been doing yardwork one Saturday afternoon and just didn't feel quite right," recalls Kari. "I felt fatigued and was running a slight fever, and my husband was experiencing mild symptoms, as well. These symptoms lasted for 48 hours, and we've felt completely fine ever since."

    Kari called the COVID-19 Nurse Line to talk through her symptoms. The following Monday, Kari was tested for COVID-19 at Mayo Clinic Health System – Franciscan Healthcare in La Crosse, and two days later, she received a call from an infectious diseases provider that her test came back positive. Kari's husband, 17-year-old son, 20-year-old daughter and her daughter's boyfriend all were presumed to be positive with COVID-19.

    "After being contacted by the infectious diseases provider at Mayo Clinic Health System, we were contacted by the La Crosse County Health Department," says Kari. "A county health worker was in contact with us every couple of days, checking in on our symptoms and making sure we had everything we needed.

    "While we don't know exactly how or when we came into contact with COVID-19, my husband had traveled to Texas a few weeks before," says Kari. "Due to the low number of cases in Texas at that time, our cases have actually been attributed to us attending our son's hockey tournament in Milwaukee about a week prior to noticing symptoms. When my husband traveled to Texas and when we were at our son's hockey tournament, we felt like we were taking all of the necessary precautions to avoid becoming infected.

    "It's not exactly fun to be on lockdown in your home for two weeks, but we did find the silver lining in this situation," says Kari. "My family was home together every day, where we were able to have family dinners and movie nights. We found ways to be grateful for what we had, such as having enough food and household items to get us through our time in isolation."

    Kari's family has been giving back since recovering from COVID-19. They have volunteered to donate plasma, as Mayo Clinic will be the lead institution providing coordinated access to investigational convalescent plasma for hospitalized patients with severe or life-threatening COVID-19, or those at high risk of progression to severe or life-threatening disease. Kari and her husband donated 1,000 meals worth of food to the Wafer Food Pantry in La Crosse since recovering. They also have been supporting local restaurants in the area, buying gift certificates if restaurants aren't open for takeout.

    "It's important to stay educated about what's going on, as information about this disease changes daily," adds Kari. "Staying home is critical right now, as my son was asymptomatic the entire time. Even if you have minor symptoms, as my family did, you need to stay home. This time spent social distancing is minor in the grand scheme of things ― and can save lives."

    Topics in this Post
    • COVID-19
    • Infectious Diseases

    Related Posts

    Reading book sitting on sofa What to do after your COVID-19 test
    Wicker stars with Christmas lights 5 tips for navigating changing holiday traditions
    Person cheering in crowd Herd immunity and COVID-19: What you need to know

    Stay Connected

    • Contact Us
    • Notice of Nondiscrimination
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • For Patients & Visitors
    • Financial Assistance
    • Community Resources
    • Mayo Clinic Connect
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Press Room
    • Mayo Clinic
    • Home
    © 2018 - 2023 Mayo Clinic Health System