to give a face to the individual experiences that can get lost in the wave of this pandemic

Last week I dived back into the COVID world at work. We currently have around 120 hospitalized patients who are COVID + or recovering but still too sick to get out of the hospital. We think it's possible that our numbers have peaked and admissions will continue to decline. It's all a guessing game. 

Here is what I am seeing:

There continue to be people dying in the ICU with limited access to family. I held the iPad up to show a husband and son their mom who was taking her last breaths this week. How is it that this has become "routine"? I assure you it is never routine for us as we work to convey the tender loving care provided by the hospital chaplain, the nurses, the respiratory therapist, all converging to be the "family" for those who can not be present.  

We were asked to get involved in the care of siblings in their 20's, both critically ill, one on a ventilator, one likely headed in that direction. Neither of them with other serious medical conditions. Their COVID + father died in his sleep this week at home, he hadn't had serious symptoms, they don't know about his death yet. Their sister tells me she prays they will get better so they can attend his funeral next month. 

On a FaceTime call a wife tells her husband that his Aunt is praying for him "using your FULL name so God will know exactly who she is referring to in her prayers", another friend of his wants him to know she is making him both a lemon meringue pie and a lemon icebox cake... hoping this will entice him to recover. So much love coming from this wife as she passes on these messages, then asks me to please take a photo of him and text it to her.

These are the everyday moments no one knows about unless they have been there themselves. I pass them on to give a face to the individual experiences that can get lost in the wave of this pandemic. 

Comments

[Susan Bjerke]

I'm sorry and thank you. Hard work.

[jacki long]

Bless you, Carol, and all your front-line help, being a proxy for the necessarily distant family. Surely God and his children appreciate you.

[Emie]

Thank you for being present. This is truly God's work you're doing. I hope my BIL had someone just like you by his side when he was in need.

[Janet Ghio]

Oh Carol-this post made me cry-so many lives lost-so many people sick-thank you for your care and compassion.

[Chris Oliveira]

Thank you, Carol. May you be richly blessed for your kindness. This is a lot of sadness for one little heart to hold.

[Sharron]

So important, so heart rending... xox

[Sharon Johnson]

This breaks my heart. You and all of the other health care workers have such loving souls.

[Vicki in Michigan]

Thank you for your work. What a hard, hard job, done with care and attention and love.

I am doing my best to help your sister and brother nurses here, by masking and distancing and staying home, so I won't add to their burdens.

I hope more and more people will begin to behave more responsibly, now that we have adult leadership setting good examples (and making good rules).

[Emie]

Carol... it's the PERSONAL stories that make a difference. Numbers are just that but putting a face to the problem affects us in a more visceral way. Please continue with these stories... they make a DIFFERENCE.