When he finally went back, they put him on oxygen and administered an IV. One person was allowed to go back with him, so when I arrived at the ER, our daughter had to leave. He was laying flat in the bed, so I raised the head of the bed up and helped him move up and on his side. The nurse came in and told us she was waiting to hear back about his room. I asked about going home to grab his some clothes and she said I could and let me know he may or may not be in his room when I got back. He was moved to a room around 4am. (Sept. 3, 2021). He was just getting his room, when I returned. I helped him get cleaned up and changed. He was sitting up in bed and I was laying in the chair between the window and his bed, for most of the day. The doctor came in and talked to him. He asked my husband some questions like how he was feeling, when his symptoms started, if he received the vaccine and asked me the same. I told him we were both informed not to get it if we had blood disorders or heart problems, so we didn’t. I also let him know I was the first one sick and was prescribed Ivermectin. I told him my husband wasn’t prescribed anything and was just told to take zinc, vitamin c and if symptoms started, a decongestant and Motrin as needed. The expression on his face made me feel as if he was annoyed with my answers. He didn’t say anything back to me and started talking to my husband again. He told him that he was going to start some meds to help treat the covid virus and that they may burn a little. Neither my husband or I were asked, he was just told what he was going to be doing. He left and the nurses came in to hook up another bag for his meds. We didn’t question him, because Dr.’s are supposed to help you get better… right??? Not to long after they started the IV, my husband told me it really hurt/burned. Later that evening we watched our oldest sons high school football game online. He was sitting up in bed, when the nurse came in, gave him some meds and asked what he was watching. He proudly told her about our son and how he was the starting center for the Enterprise High School football team. We watched the entire game and I fell asleep not too long after. Throughout the night, he had some trouble with his oxygen and the machine. They changed it out and he moved to a chair. The next morning (Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021), he said it was a rough night, but he was feeling a lot better. Our daughters called me and I ended up having to leave later that morning to take care of our boys. Before I left, I walked over to my husbands chair, told him I was still upset with him (Jokingly, because he let himself get that sick and was being stubborn about going to the hospital.). He replied I know and as I was about to kiss his forehead, I noticed his mask was slipping down again. The Dr. came in just as I was tightening the strap on his oxygen mask (It wasn’t knotted, so it kept slipping down.) and he looked at me as if I was doing something wrong. I explained to him that my husband’s mask kept falling, because it wasn’t knotted and again he just looked at me and started talking to my husband. He told him he heard it was an eventful night (something like that) and asked him about the night and how he was feeling. My husband told him it was a rough night, but he felt ten times better. While the Dr. was still in the room, I let my husband know I’d be back later that evening or the following morning, kissed him on his forehead, told him I loved him and to getter better. He told me he loves me too and he would. This is where I wish I could turn back time and just stay in the hospital with him. I regret leaving him everyday.

I picked the boys up, went to the store and grabbed groceries and things they would need for the next week and went home to get everything ready for the week. I decided to stay with the boys for the night and to go back to the hospital early in the morning. My youngest and I were sitting on the couch and my older son was in the backroom doing his homework, when I received a call from the hospital. A nurse on the phone told me my husband had gotten worse and was going to be intubated. I was confused and I’m pretty sure I asked her what is happening and she repeated it and asked me if I wanted to talk to him. I said um YES. My husband said I love you babe and instantly, I new he was scared. I heard it in his voice. We have been together for over 22 years and I know him, he was scared. I said I love you too and was in the middle of saying what’s wrong, stay strong, fight this, get better for us, but the nurse came on the phone and cut me off. She told me they had to go and that’s when I said wait wait, can I see him and she told me no. She said he would be in ICU and I would not be able to see him until he gets out of ICU and that I could call to see how he was. I asked if I could see him before he goes in and she said no, they had to go now and the conversation ended there. I was so confused and had so many questions about everything that was going on. I called my mother-law to let her know what I was told and told her as soon as I received more info I would let her know. (we live in Alabama and my husbands family lives in Ohio.) Shortly after I got off the phone, I received another phone call from the hospital. This is a call I will never forget. A nurse said hello Mrs. Foster and I said yes, she said your husband has passed. I said wait, what?… I just talked to him, what? … are you joking?… you’re lying right?… why are you lying? she told me no they got him intubated, but his heart stopped. I lost it. I just started crying and my youngest son(9), sitting next to me, started crying asking me what was wrong. The nurse then asked me if anyone was there with me. I told her my 2 boys and put the phone on the counter and just cried. I couldn’t answer my youngest and in that moment realized I needed to tell my kids there daddy isn’t coming home. A fear I had whenever he would be deployed, had just become reality. I pulled myself together as much as possible and walked to the backroom and called my oldest son(16). He was confused, but knew something was wrong. I told him dad passed away and he said no, no he didn’t and I had to keep telling him. He hugged me so tight. My youngest just kept asking what’s going on, over and over. I tried to explain it, but he just didn’t understand. I told him he wouldn’t be coming home and that he was in heaven. He kept asking but he will come back later. I just hugged him and said no baby, he won’t. I called my daughters and told them I needed them home. Then I called my friend who lives down the street and she came right over. I tried calling my brother, but it was late and most people wouldn’t answer. I called his family and got through to his mother and aunt. My oldest daughter(21) came in the house and instantly just kept saying no mom, don’t say it, over and over. She knew just by looking at me. I said I’m sorry baby and we all just lost it. We went out on the front porch and waited for my youngest daughter(20). When she pulled up and seen us and asked what’s going on and before anyone could even say anything, she started saying no mom, no mom and fell to her knees. She started punching the ground, screaming he was supposed to walk me down the isle and just kept screaming. I held her and just kept saying I know baby, I’m so sorry. We all went back in the house and I realized I didn’t find out what to do. I asked my friend should I call them back? Do I need to do anything? What do I do? I couldn’t wrap my mind around what just happened, then alone what to do next. She told me I would need to call, so I did and the nurse was put on the phone. She told me I would need to come in to sign the paperwork to release the body. My friend stayed with my youngest son, who has autism and we felt he shouldn’t go. When we arrived at the hospital the nurse met us and brought us to the room they moved him to. My oldest son and I went in to see him (The girls said they couldn’t do it.) and before we went around the curtain, the nurse stopped us. She told me she was sorry and that she tried everything, but his heart just stopped and she couldn’t get it back, she tried, but it was too weak. I didn’t say anything, I had no words. We went around the curtain. I gave him a kiss on the forehead and squeezed his arm I didn’t say anything. I hugged my son and he asked for a moment. I went on the other side of the curtain and into the bathroom that was in the room. I heard my son crying and promising his dad he would be the best football player and that he would make it, he would make their dream come true. I lost it again. I pulled myself together as much as I possibly could and when he came around the curtain, I went back and said goodbye, I love you babe and we left the room. We met the girls in the hallway and I did my best to tell them what the nurse told me. I had to walk around the hallway corner for a moment and just fell to the floor. My son came around the corner and picked me up and said we got this ma, we can do this. I was trying to be strong in front of them and that’s why I walked around the corner. I didn’t want them to see me. Seeing the pain in their eyes added so much more hurt to the pain I was already feeling from what felt like someone just ripped me in two. I pulled myself together, as much as possible and we all went looking for the nurse. The entire floor was empty, so we just waited by the nurses station and my daughter called her on the phone. She came up and I had to tell her what funeral home he would go to and sign the release. As soon as I signed it, we all went back home. My youngest son was waiting for us and told me it was a prank and that they do pranks all the time. That he was just going to stay at the hospital for a year and come back home. It was all just a prank, right? After trying to explain it more, we all went to bed. Life was a blur for a while, still can be.

A few months back, when I found this Facebook group, I saw everyone talking about requesting the medical records, so I did. After 3 different visits and 3 vanilla folders, with what I was being told were my husband full medical records, I may have most of them? Each time I received different records, along with some duplicates. Through these records I’ve learned I wasn’t told the truth and just wasn’t told, about my husbands treatment. From what I understand, the Dr. that was being contacted wasn’t in the hospital and always took a while to get back. The Dr. that ended up being called when he was intubated was the ER Dr. The nurses notes and MD notes don’t add up and have my husband being retrained while being intubated, being restrained after intubated, Restraint order for Non-Behavioral, Non-Self Destructive,