On 08/08/2020 within two hours of each other Carl and I (his wife Donna Reed) began having symptoms of what we thought were of Bronchitis and other Respiratory issues. The next day, which was a Sunday, Carl was worse. We were out of town visiting Carl’s youngest sister and her family. We stayed in a hotel in Poteau, OK. We called his sister on Sunday morning and told her we needed to head home (Sulphur, OK.) because Carl was sick. We got home about 4 hours later and both went to bed hoping we would feel better the next morning. It did not happen.

On Monday morning 08/10/2020, Carl called the Dr’s Office only to find out our Dr. was out of the office all week. Another Dr. was seeing our Dr’s patients.  His office gave Carl a  Virtual appointment around 3:00 in the afternoon. For some reason the Dr. was not able to get through to our  computer.  He finally gave up on that and called Carl on the phone. This Dr. looked in Carl’s chart to  see what our Primary Care Physician usually prescribed for him and sent those two prescriptions in to Sulphur OK Walmart Pharmacy. I drove into the Pharmacy and picked up his prescriptions. He gave him a Z-pak and an antibiotic. Each day we thought he would feel better the next day, but it did not happen.

Our physician, Dr. Carl Nyberg, returned to his office on Monday, 08/17/2020. Carl felt so bad I called and spoke with Dr. Nyberg’s nurse. She gave him a virtual appointment for 3:30 that afternoon. The Dr. had a very busy day after being out of the office the week before. He finally was able to reach us through the computer. Carl started telling him what the problem was and even after prescriptions he was worse instead of better. Dr. Nyberg saw I was close by and he said, “Donna, I need you to take Carl to the ER NOW.  He is a very sick man.” He only had to take one look of Carl and could tell he needed to be in the hospital. I got his phone and charger and packed a bag for him.

I drove Carl to the ER in Ardmore, OK. He was so weak I had him to wait in the car while I got a wheel chair to use to take him inside. I pushed him inside and told the lady at the desk his name. I told her I would go move my car and come back in to be with him. While I was gone to move my car, the woman checked him in and then moved him into a corner in a short hallway. When I returned I looked for him in the waiting room, but he was not in there. I heard him cough and followed the sound, she had him facing the corner and pushed him as far into the corner as she could. I was not happy with him being treated like a little boy who was in trouble and had to face the corner. Carl told me his nose was running and needed a tissue. I said OK, I will go in the restroom and get some toilet paper for you. The woman saw me and said, Oh NO you cannot go anywhere. You either go to your car or wait right beside him. If you go to your car, you will not be allowed back inside. I chose to try to stand beside him.

I was very sick still myself but not as bad as Carl. The longer I stood there the weaker I got. I hated to but told Carl I needed to go to the car and it was a long walk, because I couldn’t stand there much longer. I asked him to please text me when they took him to an ER Room. He was so sick I doubt he even remembered I said it.  I knew he would have to be admitted due to his level of sickness. Carl tested positive for COVID-19.  I did not know that would be the last time I saw Carl alive. After going to my car I rested for a bit.  It was starting to get dark and we lived in the country. So I decided to go on home and wait for Carl to contact me. I finally got a call from him just before midnight, saying he needed to be admitted but Ardmore did not have a bed available for him. He was so short of breath I could barely understand him. A nurse called me a little later and said Carl needed to be admitted but they did not have a bed available. She said they were looking for a hospital that had a bed available and would look as far as Denton Texas.

The next time I heard from anyone was around 3:30 AM. It was a nurse saying she had Carl in her care and would give him the care he  needed. She said they had him in Norman Regional Hospital, Norman, OK. She asked if I would like her to hold the phone up to his ear and we could talk just a minute because of Carl’s labored breathing. I told her I would love to be able to talk to him. So she held the phone up to Carl’s ear. It was so good to hear his voice and hear him say “Hi Babe”. Even though his breathing was so labored I could tell it was his voice. I kept feeling worse through the night. I decided the next morning to drive myself to Norman to the ER just in case they kept me at least Carl and I would be in the same building. They did not keep me, but I tested positive for COVID-19. I drove back home. It was hard knowing he was in the same building but I could not see him. In our almost 50 years of marriage, anytime he was sick I took care of him, but not this time.

I do not remember much over the next few days. I do remember Carl calling me one last time. He asked if I would do something for him. I said of course I will if it’s in my power. I asked what he wanted. He said, “Would you bring me a pop-sickle?” I told him they would not let me in the hospital to bring it to him. I told him the hospital should have pop-sickles on the floor, and he needed to ask his nurse for one. I never heard from him again. The one thing he asked of me and I could not give it to him. He couldn’t see his phone to text because he did not have his glasses.  A friend bought 3 pair of reading glasses for him and took them in a manila envelope and left at the front desk at the hospital. He told them who they were for. They delivered them to his room, but the nurse told him he was concentrating too much on his phone and he needed to be concentrating on his breathing. The glasses were in his room, but not where he could reach them and use them.

Fast Forward to later in that week. I am not sure what day, the Dr. said Carl’s kidneys had shut down. Remdesivir caused that. Somewhere around the morning of 08/22/2020, the Dr talked to my son and said Carl probably had less than 24 hours to live. I didn’t give up. I was still praying. The next morning, more than 24 hours later, Carl was still alive. The next morning, which was another 24 hours, he was still living. The morning of 08/25/2020 the Dr. called my son and said Carl had passed away. Due to me having COVID-19, I could not hug my kids or grandkids. I still had to be quarantined through Sunday, 08/30/2020. My kids had to go to the funeral home and look and choose everything. They face timed me and showed me everything they were looking at and what their ideas and thoughts were on everything. They did a good job, but I hated they had to do everything. On Monday, 08/31/2020, We had the viewing at the funeral home where friends and family gathered together. My church had a meal for the family that evening. We appreciated it so very much. The funeral service was Tuesday, 09/01/2020. I still had not hugged anyone at this time. I know my time of quarantine was past, but I just wanted to make sure I was still not contagious.  My kids grabbed me and hugged me anyway. Then my grandchildren hugged me. I needed that so very much. As they did, also.

Carl and I had bought a Motorhome and had planned to travel.  We were planning a big trip for our 50th Wedding Anniversary.  It never happened because Carl passed away. I sold the Motorhome. Life has definitely been different. I try to make the best of things,  but……….