Freetown , Sierra Leone ( CNN ) I started working at the Ebola treatment center the day it opened , September 19 . I cared for children , men and women with Ebola . Every day more than 100 new patients came in . It was so serious . I was n't afraid . I was determined to make the outbreak go away from my country . Every day I saw thousands of people from my country dying . Blood in their vomit , blood coming from their eyes , their ears , their mouth , their nose ... One day in November , I felt sick . I started to vomit , my body ached . I thought it was an ulcer like before . My mother said , `` Let 's go to the hospital . '' We called my boss and he said , `` Bring her immediately . '' They isolated me , took blood samples , and treated me with IV fluids because I was vomiting seriously . Within 24 hours , they came back . They were all wearing protective clothing and equipment . It was then that I knew . Tears streamed down my face . Immediately they took me into the red zone , the same place where I treat my patients . I was now like them . In three days , I could not walk . I was blind , paralyzed , unable to talk or eat . I had a sore throat , body aches and my whole body itched . Blood started coming out of my eyes . I could n't sleep . I was awake with pain all of the time . Once , my soul left my body . I saw my body lying down . I almost went insane . I thought , I am going to die , I will not make it . Every single day I cried . Ebola is a very dangerous disease . During this time , my parents were quarantined . No one could visit me . All of my belongings -- my bed , my clothes , my shoes -- were burned . The first thing that happened when I started to feel better is that I was able to eat . I realized , `` God still has plans for me . '' It took one month to relearn how to talk , to walk , to eat . When I left the hospital in December , it was not easy . My mom , dad , brothers and sisters embraced me , but others turned their back on me . My friends were scared they would get Ebola . People pointed at me in the street . My parents and I had to leave our community and find a new place to live , far away , where people did not know . I often say Ebola is a demonic disease , because of what it does to you when you are sick and what it does to you after . I have many friends who died from Ebola . In the hospital ward where I worked , all my medical colleagues who got Ebola died except me . One of my friends lost every member of her family . Ebola is also demonic because of the stigmatization you face as a survivor . I always try to stay positive , even though it is hard for me , physically and emotionally . After surviving , I returned to work in the same hospital ward where I worked before , treating Ebola patients and giving them hope . I tell them I was a victim of Ebola , and I survived . When they refuse medication , I make an example of myself . I say , `` I want you to do the same thing to be like me . '' Just before returning to work , I met World Health Organization Director-General , Dr. Margaret Chan , when she visited our hospital . She hugged me and it felt so good . Her gesture showed everyone that they do not need to be scared . You should not reject survivors , you should embrace them . Then , Dr. Chan invited me to give the keynote address at the WHO 's Ebola Special Session in Geneva . I am twice a survivor . I lived through war in my country . During the war , my sister was shot and killed in front of me . I fainted and they set our home on fire . The heat from the fire woke me up and I survived . I faced stigmatization then , for two years in Guinea , where they told refugees like us to sit on the floor of the bus . In many ways , Ebola is worse than war . With war , at least some of your family has a chance to survive . With Ebola , your entire family can be wiped out . Even if I have an enemy , I will never pray they become infected with Ebola . I will never think that . I want to help Ebola survivors . I started a non-governmental organization , Pink Cross , to provide counseling for Ebola survivors facing stigmatization and to conduct public awareness campaigns . We are looking for a partner to help us build post-Ebola drop-in centers for Ebola survivors to come for counseling , support and training . And I would like to further my education , so that I can pursue a career in my country helping people prevent and survive diseases like Ebola .
Rebecca Johnson cared for children , men and women with Ebola in Sierra Leone . When she caught pneumonia , she said : ` ` I could not walk . I was blind , paralyzed , unable to talk or move '' Johnson survived war and trauma ; her sister was shot dead in front of her .