After an eight-month battle with coronavirus, a longtime ICU nurse has been discharged from the hospital.Merlin Pambuan, 66, became a patient in the hospital where she worked for four decades, St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, California, when she was diagnosed with COVID-19 in the spring, according toBalitang America. Her colleagues-turned-caregivers told the outlet that her condition came near death several times during her bout with the respiratory illness.On Monday, Pambuan was released from the hospital, and she was able to walk again and return home to her husband Daniel, 63, and daughter, Shantell, 33,Reutersreports.“This is what we live for … seeing our patients going home alive and in good condition,” Dr. Maged Tanios told the outlet, as Pambuan added, “This is my second life.“According to Reuters, Pambuan can’t remember the period between May and September when she was on a breathing apparatus, and when she finally woke up, she was unable to walk.RELATED VIDEO: One of the First Americans With COVID Spent 64 Days in a Hospital with ‘1% Chance of Survival’Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I said, ‘No, I’m going to fight this COVID.’ I start moving my hand [and] a physical therapist come and say, ‘Oh, you’re moving your hands,’ and I said, ‘Oh, I’m going to fight; I’m going to fight. I’m trying to wiggle my toes. I’m going to fight it,’ " she recalled.Pambuan said her recovery will be “very difficult,” though she acknowledged that she has to “accept it” and “slow down a little bit.“She also offered advice to other people battling COVID-19: “Don’t lose hope. Just fight. Fight, because look at me — I’m going home and I’m walking.“As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theWHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.

After an eight-month battle with coronavirus, a longtime ICU nurse has been discharged from the hospital.

Merlin Pambuan, 66, became a patient in the hospital where she worked for four decades, St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, California, when she was diagnosed with COVID-19 in the spring, according toBalitang America. Her colleagues-turned-caregivers told the outlet that her condition came near death several times during her bout with the respiratory illness.

On Monday, Pambuan was released from the hospital, and she was able to walk again and return home to her husband Daniel, 63, and daughter, Shantell, 33,Reutersreports.

“This is what we live for … seeing our patients going home alive and in good condition,” Dr. Maged Tanios told the outlet, as Pambuan added, “This is my second life.”

According to Reuters, Pambuan can’t remember the period between May and September when she was on a breathing apparatus, and when she finally woke up, she was unable to walk.

RELATED VIDEO: One of the First Americans With COVID Spent 64 Days in a Hospital with ‘1% Chance of Survival’

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I said, ‘No, I’m going to fight this COVID.’ I start moving my hand [and] a physical therapist come and say, ‘Oh, you’re moving your hands,’ and I said, ‘Oh, I’m going to fight; I’m going to fight. I’m trying to wiggle my toes. I’m going to fight it,’ " she recalled.

Pambuan said her recovery will be “very difficult,” though she acknowledged that she has to “accept it” and “slow down a little bit.”

She also offered advice to other people battling COVID-19: “Don’t lose hope. Just fight. Fight, because look at me — I’m going home and I’m walking.”

As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theWHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.

source: people.com