Houston man fighting West Nile virus from mosquito bite denied care from local hospitals

HOUSTON - A man who caught West Nile virus after being bitten by a mosquito during Hurricane Beryl is fighting to find care in the Houston area as he slowly recovers.

One mosquito changed everything 

The backstory:

In August, we told you how John Hudson contracted West Nile Virus and cephalitis on July 27th. 

He was bitten by a mosquito that was carrying the viruses after Hurricane Beryl. 

His wife Sharon says full-body paralysis set in. He was in the neurological unit at Memorial Herman for five weeks before he was moved to Sugarland Kindred Hospital's rehab facility. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Houston man battling West Nile Virus, left with numerous health problems

A slow recovery 

Sharon is a 4th grade teacher. She rushed from work to the hospital every day to see John. She stays until nightfall, then returns home left only with time for a quick dinner before bed, so she can get up and do it all over the next day. 

"John and I have been married, come May, 30 years, and he's the love of my life," she said. 

Sharon says John is improving. She says he's battled infections, but is able to move his arms and legs more than before and can breathe without a ventilator for a couple of hours. 

The fight for care 

What they're saying:

Recently, the rehab facility notified Sharon that they would need to move John out of their care. 

"I was informed the week before last they would send us to skilled nursing," she said. "Then we found out the skilled nursing declined us."

Sharon says multiple major hospitals in the area also declined to provide care for John. 

"From your understanding, why are you being denied from these hospitals?"

"Money, insurance," replied Sharon. 

She says the doctor currently overseeing John's care explained to her it's the fault of a faulty healthcare system. 

"He said it's medicine in America these days. It's big pharma, insurance, doctors don't have a say. And we need to take that back because this man is worth fighting for, he's a good man," said Sharon. 

According to the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit supporting independent research on health care issues, one in four Americans has health insurance that leaves them underinsured. In other words, insurance that doesn't give them access to care they need. 

Sharon says John was in great health before this bite, and she hopes all Houstonians understand the severity of what mosquitoes in our area can do. 

More than anything, she's looking for help, resources, a miracle to get John the care he needs. 

"If you saw him today you'd see he has a fight in him, he's moving. He just needs more time, and we need help," she said.