By Canadian Press

Calgary woman who died of COVID-19 was expecting 2020 to be best year: husband

Apr 8, 2020 | 1:38 PM

CALGARY — A Calgary man whose wife died of COVID-19 last month says the two of them were expecting 2020 to be the best year of their lives.

But things changed quickly in mid-March when Deb Diemer, who was 57, was diagnosed.

Mike Diemer says doctors had always followed his wife’s health closely after she was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension in 1986.

He says she was able to keep the disease in check with medication until late 2001, when she received a double-lung transplant.

He says she got a kidney transplant this February using a kidney donated by her sister.

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The Diemers were planning to retire this year because Deb was feeling better than ever.

Diemer says she was diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 19, but only had mild symptoms until she died at their home on March 30.

He says doctors believe the virus attacked her heart.

The Canadian Press