SAN ANTONIO — More than 16 million Texans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but many, like Julianna Castillo are still hesitant to get the shot.

The 45-year-old caught COVID earlier this summer and was quarantined in her San Antonio apartment sick for a month.

“Imagine 30 days in your house,” Julianna Castillo said as she danced to music on her record player. “What are you going to do? This and that, dance in your underwear.”

In a notebook Castillo kept track of her symptoms. She was wheezing, she had body aches and was barely able to eat or move. 

“I just remember praying and saying God make me feel better,” Castillo said. “Make me feel better. Please make me feel better.”

Watching TV from the sofa was all the entertainment Castillo says she could stomach. At this point she wished she’d gotten the COVID vaccine.

“I would be willing to do anything at that point,” Castillo said. “I don’t care what it did to my DNA because at that moment I thought I was going to die.”

More than a quarter of Bexar County residents still aren’t vaccinated. Despite her bad experience, Castillo is still saying no to the shot.

“I’m going to ride it out,” Castillo said. “There’s too much butting heads about should, should not and I’m going to wait.”  

Castillo’s friend Mario is vaccinated, but also tested positive for COVID at the same time. With no symptoms he was able to be by his friends’ side, helping out as her body tried to fight the virus.

“I was so thankful because otherwise I would have been by myself,” Castillo said.

Castillo says she tried three times to get transported to the hospital, but EMS said her vitals were okay. She then had a panic attack.

“In the back of my mind I just kept thinking it had something to do with the fact that the emergency rooms were full and I didn’t have my vaccination,” Castillo said.

Shaking uncontrollably and vomiting, Castillo drove herself to Methodist Hospital, but her test returned normal. She was sent home and felt better.

“I convulsed and then I was alright,” Castillo said.

After being stuck inside for so long, Castillo says she’s masking up and being extra cautious these days. She's taking COVID more seriously than before, but thankful she’s alive and back outside.

“I thought that I might die,” Castillo said. “I saw the end. Then I saw a new beginning.”