On November 19th my wife and I were setting up for a trade show in Lawton.  I felt tired and achy.  We worked through the weekend to come back late Sunday night. The next morning, Dad called and informed us he didn’t feel well. He had the chills and was achy. We told him we both felt the same way and decided to stay at home and recover.  We all were taking vitamins.  Me and my wife stayed laid up for the next couple of days. We never went to the doctor but both assumed we had “Covid”  the flu.

We both lost our taste and I lost my smell. I would call dad and he said he was about the same.   I told him that were feeling better and we would be over for Thanksgiving and bring him some ivermectin.  We went and had a great meal on Thanksgiving. Dad had a low fever and we gave him Tylenol and Ivermectin.  Note  that Dad ate well on this day but the hospital records say he hasn’t had a meal in 7 days. We left and went back due to we wanted to be with him to monitor his fever.  We stayed a few more hours and his fever broke and we went home. He stated to us that he was feeling better. I instructed him on how to take the Ivermectin .

The next day we had to work another trade show.  We called Dad and he said he was feeling better.  We worked through the weekend and checked on him Sunday night the 28th.  He still wasn’t feeling great but about the same.  He now had 3 days of ivermectin and continued taking his daily vitamins.

On the 29th, me and my wife went to set up at TAFB for 3 and 1/2 weeks.  After unloading for the show, I left to go see Dad.  On the way there I received a phone call from Mrs. Poole.  Dad had called her.  He was frightened because his oxygen level was 88 and he didn’t feel good.  Mrs. Poole told me they wanted to take him to ER and asked me if that’s okay.  I reluctantly agreed and told her I’ll meet them there.

Based on research with my wife and Dad, I wasn’t comfortable with him going to ER but Dad called them and out of fear, wanted to go.

On November 29th, I met my Dad and the Poole’s in ER at St. Anthony’s in Shawnee, Oklahoma.  Dad seemed groggy and tired.  They took him back and wouldn’t let us go back with him.  He tested positive for COVID – the flu.  He was there 2 days before I could go in to see him.  So within 2 days, he tested negative for COVID-the flu.  On December 1st I was able to go see him.  When arriving at his room, he was sitting up in the chair looking out the window.  He didn’t have on  an oxygen mask.  He was alert and we visited.  After about 30 minutes of me being there, he asked me to get the nurse and he wanted to lie down.  I stayed with him for most of the day and left to pick up my wife at TAFB.

That night I received a phone call from Dr. Anderson.  She talked to me about Dads condition and said “sometimes it’s time to go see Jesus”  referring to my Dad.  I was shocked as I just left the hospital a bit ago and he was doing fine.

The next day upon arriving to visit dad, he now was in restraints with an oxygen mask on.  I asked why and they said because he kept pulling off his masks.  They also told me that he broke the first restraints and had to put on thicker ones.  I couldn’t believe this. They made me feel it was necessary because he wouldn’t leave his mask on.  What I don’t understand is from one day to the next he was in restraints and didn’t open his eyes.  I had just talked to him yesterday.  What happened?  His oxygen level was in the mid 90’s, he no longer had COVID.  Why is he not alert and able to communicate with me?   This went on for the next several days.

My wife noticed when visiting after work,  that his food tray was untouched and his Ensure drinks weren’t open.  We asked them about this and the response was complacent and uncaring.  There was no attempt to give him water or feed him.  The nurse said she would talk to the doctor about our concern.  We asked why they couldn’t give him an IV with nutrition since he’s strapped down, had a oxygen mask on and can’t help himself.   My wife’s concern is “Who’s feeding him”?

I went everyday to be with Dad.  I always waited for the doctor to come in on his rounds.  He came in around noon everyday.  He came in announcing they are doing what they can and everything looks okay.  Remembering back on this ….I only remember them trying to give Dad water one time. I would take my wife to work and then go to the hospital and them  come back after work with my wife every day. The first couple of days I would get there in the morning he would be just laying there with his hospital gown up at his chest with his whole body exposed and nurses coming in and going out with no concern to my dad’s privacy . I would say can you please keep him covered up. it took about three days of this to get it right. it was so uncaring. For the first three or four days his oxygen level was good,  but with no water and food ? he started going downhill on the 7th day . You could see it turn and it never went back for him again his oxygen level started going down down down the next three days when it hit 70 we all knew then he was going to die but  why?????

Thoughts of remembrance from Valeta – Ron’s wife.

As the timeline may not be perfect these are moments I remember that didn’t make any sense to me.

I was working through the day and would go see Dad every night after work.  The first night I was there which would have been December 1st, I remember talking to the nurses that would come in on rounds and they being so complacent.  What I mean is they actually said to me “don’t get your hopes on too high”  I said – What do you mean.  His oxygen level is mid 90’s and he a very strong man.  Looking back at this is concerning.  Why would they say anything like that.  They should just do their job and not try to predict the outcome.  It was like they were trying to prepare me for his death.   Why?  I’ve been through death experiences with both my parents and never did any nurse come in to try to prepare me for their death.  They came in, checked their vitals, administered medications and did notes about their activities.  What was the motive behind these nurses at St. Anthony’s  telling me on my first visit to Dad that ” don’t get your hopes up”?  This angered ME!

On Sunday the 5th of December I went to stay with Dad all day.  When I got there he was lying naked and uncovered.  Wow.  I immediately covered him up.  I then noticed no IV for nutrition.  This was an earlier concern as how can he eat and drink with restraints on.  I asked the nurse several questions and she seemed put out.  I questioned them on what they are giving him drug wise.  Today I found out they are giving him Morphine.   Why??  He needs oxygen and he is in no pain.  His oxygen level was high 90’s.  I called my husband and his brother to share the news.  A bit later, the respiratory team came in to change his mask.  I asked why and they said because this mask he has on is causing a sore on his nose.  When they changed the mask asperates his oxygen level dropped to high 80’s and this really upset me.  Leave a good thing going…why change it…. concerns and questions.   You know, I really had belief that the staff at St. Anthony’s knew what they were doing. Not anymore.

Our society has to have some kind of trust in our medical providers.  We grow up believing this.  With all this COVID – the flu and doing our own research it has made me alter in my thinking and trust.  I actually told Dad on Thanksgiving Day – Dad, if you go to the hospital they will kill you…  turns out, I was right.