Don got sick on Wednesday September 1st and called into work. Don’s never sick, so I figured something was wrong. We’ve been married for 29 years on August 22nd, 2021, and he just turned 53 August 26th, 2021. He’s never sick accept the usual allergies, but he never called into work. I started feeling down on Thursday, hit us both like a ton of bricks! We had the exact same symptoms, fever, no energy, chills, then after a few days had a little cough. We went ahead and went to CVS pharmacy drive-thru and got tested and was positive for COVID on the 7th of September 2021. Don’s cough was getting worse, and his fever was not breaking. I started to feel a little better, our youngest daughter was vaccinated and was home taking care of us the best she could.

Don was feeling so bad my brother brought him up oxygen because he was having trouble breathing. My dad had COVID in August 2021 and had oxygen at the house. We called Don’s doctor he had us get cough medicine, steroid and an inhaler but nothing was helping. So, our daughter took him to the ER at Mercy Jefferson on the 10th of September 2021.

They tested him gave him Tylenol, Decadron, took x-rays of his chest and sent him home, said his oxygen wasn’t low enough yet. He came home and went straight to bed. He couldn’t get comfortable all night and his cough was getting worse. Our daughter took him back Saturday the 11th of September to Mercy Jefferson they wouldn’t let my daughter in with him and Don didn’t want her in there as she could get sick. He was having trouble standing and there was nowhere to sit, he felt dizzy and warm, so he stood by the doors so every time someone came in, he’d get air.

One of the workers yelled at him to get away from the doors so they won’t stay open, so he yelled back there’s nowhere to sit and he’s not feeling well! They took him back finally and said his x-ray is unchanged and blood test show no significant change. This time they sent him home with oxygen and a pulsometer. He came home so disoriented and tired; my daughter was helping him walk.

I was still down but feeling a little better. I couldn’t believe they didn’t admit him or give him some antibiotics. Sunday the 12th of September, he thought he was feeling a little better, but by Monday the 13th we took him to Mercy South/St. Anthony’s early in the morning. He was having trouble breathing, couldn’t focus, and we noticed a whistle in his breathing, that was alarming!

They admitted him right away, and from the 13th of September- the 18th we were texting, he was talking on the phone still having trouble breathing, they had him on oxygen and started Remdesivir. We were never told we could facetime him and we weren’t allowed to see him in the hospital at all. He sent us a picture Saturday, September 18th he seemed frustrated that nothing was helping, and I could tell he was scared.

We joked because he had a full beard and he never had one before, and he looked skinny. On the 19th I get a call from his nurse that they’re moving him to ICU. I was shocked! They said, they needed to intubate him so he can give his lungs some rest for a couple of days. It scared us all as we were facetiming with the doctor. He said Don was strong but needed to rest his lungs.

They would help him breathe while he’s out and, in a few days, they’ll bring him out of it. They said they had to paralyze him in the meantime, so he doesn’t pull anything out. I thought, that’s crazy but he said its normal when they intubate. I thought “oh my gosh” this is so scary. That was the last time we seen him alive! He endured so many concoctions of medicines for the next 2 weeks, that I didn’t even know about.

The doctor called me every day for an update, or I would call the nurses to find out how he’s doing. I asked everyday if I could go up, but the answer was always NO! I knew in my heart he was going to make it; he was the strongest man I know. This guy worked in construction for 26 years. The heat, the cold and was so physically strong and his faith was so strong, I never thought he wouldn’t make it! He still ran and played, skated with our grandsons.

Everyone always told him they couldn’t believe he was 53. He was the sole provider for me and our 4 kids for 29 years. For 2 weeks the 19th when they intubated him until October 1st he was on a rollercoaster, he was doing good or better, then he had fever and not doing well.

They were proning him from his belly to his back they said he threw up while ventilated then caught bacterial pneumonia put him back on antibiotic, he kept coughing, so they sedated more. The 24th he had air leaks on both lungs, so they had to put chest tubes to release air on both sides. More sedation even though they said they were going to start weaning him off. Lungs are getting stiff, the 25th they said he was getting Emphysema.

Oxygen was up and down. Antibiotics, they put him on then took him off. The 27th nurse calls me early and says Don’s sitting in the chair and breathing on his own. I about fell over, I thought this is my strong guy, he’s going to make it. Then the nurse gets quiet and says he has the wrong chart. I almost passed out! My husband was stable producing urine and stool, and they were putting him back on his belly but he’s 90% vent.

The 29th his temp was better so they may stop with antibiotics and lungs seem to be working a little better placed him on his belly for several hours. I had asked if his lungs collapsed and they said they collapsed on the 24th, I was never told this. I thought I could go up, but then he spiked another fever, and I couldn’t.

They are hoping to give him a trachea and feeding tube the next week. He’s had no signs of heart attack. I asked why do they take him off the antibiotics after only one or two days. They said, “They don’t want him to be on them to much as it could cause more harm.” September 30th growth in blood culture, he needs blood pressure support they said because of fever. I spoke with nurse that evening.

She said she had him on ice, I asked her how’s the antibiotics doing, she said he’s not on antibiotics. The doctor didn’t prescribe any even though he told me he was putting him on a broad-spectrum antibiotic. I lost him on October 1st, 2021, in the evening! I’m devastated. I get his papers and it says he had sepsis early on, I didn’t know. That’s probably why he had fever.

His body went into septic shock, I feel he should’ve been treated earlier instead of worrying about this so called COVID-19. They wouldn’t let anyone other than me in the night he was dying. Our son snuck in to be with me as I was a mess to watch the strongest man I know, the love of my life, my one and only, father of our 4 kids, PA to our 4 grandkids, youngest son of my mother-in-law, everyone’s buddy-GONE.

His body was so blown up, I couldn’t believe it! I couldn’t be there when he needed me the most, WHY?! I asked the doctor in charge is he comfortable, I just want him to be comfortable. She goes over to the machine and says, “I upped his fentanyl, so it won’t be long now”. My son and I looked like what did she say? He was gone in 4 seconds, if that. I didn’t want him dead so quick… I wanted him comfortable!

I fell to my knees with our son. It’s still unbelievable. He deserved so much better, it’s sickening! Don was an awesome man; he sacrificed his whole life for his wife and family that he loved more than himself. He helped anyone that needed help, he loved the Lord, he loved his mother, and helped her with anything she needed.

He was loyal, genuine, truthful, loving, hardworking, spiritual, so good looking and loved us all. Our grandsons have crying spells, nightmares along with all of us. Because of the protocol I lost the Love of my life. Our kids will never have their dad at anything anymore. The hospital stole that from them, from us. We need justice!