This is an email I sent to the hospital administrator on September 12th.
I am Susan Rodriguez. The spouse, caregiver and voice for Dennis Rodriguez. My husband was admitted to the New Orleans VA in the early morning hours on Tuesday, August 24, 2021. He was admitted having COVID. I spoke to a doctor on Friday, August 27, 2021 ready to release him if I tested positive for COVID. I knew I was positive I didn’t need any test. Your hospital was preparing for Hurricane Ida so I didn’t put the matter. During that time he started requiring more oxygen.
By September 4, 2021, doctor said he was ready to be released. I was COVID free at this point. So he should have been close to being virus free also. The reason he wasn’t released was it was a weekend and required home oxygen. Doctor called Sunday, September 5, 2021 told me he was ready to be released. We we’re waiting on the oxygen company to get what is needed due to the holiday there it would be delayed. I understand logic. I am not stupid.
Tuesday, September 7, 2021, Dennis is doing well I am waiting all day to get the call to come get him. No call. I get in contact with the Doctor and admitted to me that someone “dropped the ball” and he didn’t follow through. All this time my husbands body is weakening due to the virus. He calls Wednesday morning with the news that his kidney function has elevated.
He hasn’t been eating and drinking adequately. As his body weakens he starts aspirating. This is not unusual. Whether from an infection, surgery or a virus we would be fighting the same. The doctor agreed for me to come evaluate him and if I signed a paper releasing him Dennis could leave with me. Well when I get there no one knew what was going on. I called you on you mobile phone as I sat in the ER waiting room.
Dr. Wright from the team came down and you sent down Nurse Shine. Doctor proceeds to tell me he can not be released until day 20. None of the people I have ever spoke with has ever mentioned such a thing. As of Wednesday, September 8, 2021. I had seen my husband since he was admitted. I had not received any contact from him since Friday, September 3, 2021.
I knew more was wrong with him when he wasn’t even trying to contact me. When I met with the staff they assured me they would set up a FaceTime call with him. I also instructed. I wanted him evaluated by cardiology, speech pathology, nephrology, and hepatology. To knowledge the only service provided from my request is the speech pathologist. The decision was made to go NPO. The nurses tried to put the feeding tube in and he wasn’t responding well.
Dr. Wright reached out to me to explain to him what they were doing and he calmed down and let them proceed. I have had experience with calming him in March of 2020 when he was admitted and separated from me. He was coming around by Friday, September 10, 2021 able to even make a phone call to me. He also followed directions to do a FaceTime on his own phone. You staff told me they would do face to face contact with us daily. It was done for two days via Dr Wright. Since then the staff has not followed through with this task. Calling someone when they are off the clock is not right. I had no other option but to bother Nurse Shine on a Saturday.
She listened to me very politely and said she would call to have the FaceTime done. I had not heard from anyone by 5:30 so I called the nurse assigned to Dennis. She told me she has not been told to arrange a call and to contact the one that was supposed to pass the orders down. I feel uncomfortable calling Nurse Shine. She is not on the clock. So I simple sent a text at 10 minutes to 6, stating the FaceTime was not arranged. I don’t know if the phone even receives text messages. I have been unable to speak to my husband since Friday.
I am letting you know just about everything that I have been through. My husband’s life is in the hands of your staff. I have always been his voice because when he is sick he isn’t aware of what is going on. From not allowing me to be with him you have silenced him. You are allowing him to sit there and die. COVID will not be what kills him it is because you have put an incoherent person in a room by themselves not allowing the one person that is his voice and comforter to be with him. Again this is not the 1st time I have been down this road with him.
I have been married to him for 24.5 years. I pledge to be there for him no matter what life threw at us. I may not be a educated nurse, but do know when my husband is sick and when he is too sick and needs medical treatment. I am not stupid. But for you to allow our Veterans to be quarantined way behind the time of infection is unnecessary. You are making the decision and allowing yourself to destroy this family.
I will not be silenced until my husband is treated for his illness and released to me. I will not sit back quietly and let you and your staff act like they really care and kill him and label it COVID. This is because a lack of communication, knowledge and love for him. He is not able to communicate with your staff in his right mind. He doesn’t have the knowledge of what is even going on. And your staff doesn’t love him enough to value his life.
I will not stop making contact until you allow something to change,
Susan Rodriguez