Arizona

Since my mom passed away, I am constantly aware of her absense. No matter how I spend my morning, afternoon or evening, Living life without her is the hardest thing to do. Some days I wish I could go back and spend the days that we spent together, not to spend them differently but just to feel a few things twice. If I had a second chance I would take back every pain,worry & hurt that I ever gave her. I wish I could undo all those moments that I made her sad. I will always talk about you. You deserve to be remembered. I miss you, mom. My mom passed away on January 11,2022 due to complications from COVID. My family is devistated from the loss. My little sister passed away last year from COVID complications. My dad is broken hearted. I hate COVID.

May you rest in peace, mom.

September 24,1958~january 11,2022..

In was one of the lucky one’s who had Covid in the early part of the pandemic. March 2020 and survived a 2 week period on the ventilator, most of it prone, some of it on pressors. But lived to tell my story. I am a nurse and I continue to struggle with long covid, post icu syndrome. I watch my fellow health care workers struggle daily to fight Covid in our ICU, some of them were my health care heroes so watching them struggle really makes me sad, frustrated, and sometimes angry.

It was during the last week of January 2021, I started to experience flu like symptoms; fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, and shortness of breath. My primary care doctor encouraged me to get tested for Covid at my nearest ER location. My immediate thought and response was “Why? I don’t freakin have Covid. There’s no way. I haven’t gone anywhere beyond the 4 walls of my home. There is no possible way that I could have contracted Covid.” It was February 4, 2021, when an ER nurse said to me; “Mrs. Peterson, you have indeed tested positive for Covid.” Needless to say, I was stunned and was left to deal with my thoughts and emotions. And just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, on Monday, February 8, 2021; I suddenly felt extreme nausea paired with the worst head trobb I’d ever experienced. I called for my husband and he continously mentioned that he could not understand me. He put on his homemade hazmat gear and rushed into the bedroom. He found me on the floor with a twisted mouth and slurred speech (his words because I had no idea I had slurred speech or a twisted mouth). I do recall him saying “Oh my God, this is not right. I’m calling 911. I was finally able to realize that I was stroking after speaking with the 911 operator and experiencing temporary blindness. Within 30 seconds the doorbell rings and the paramedics are in the bedroom with a stretcher. I’m then rolled out and placed in the ambulance. The paramedic began to ask me all of the necessary demographic questions and I tried to answer as best I could. Before leaving for the hospital, one of the paramedics mentioned to the others if they thought I should be life-flighted to the nearest hospital. At that moment, I knew how serious things truly were. Long story made short, a clot buster medication ulon reaching the first hospital was not going to help me because the clot was too large. I was then rushed to the next nearest hospital for an emergency operation to remove the clot from my brain and attempt to save my life. Because I am still alive to share my story, it’s safe to say, the team was successful. It is now approaching the 1 year anniversary of the most traumatic experience of my 46 years of life and I’m sitting here filled with mixed emotions of anxiety, grief, irritability, gratefulness and appreciation. The grief I feel is felt quite often, I feel as though I’ve lost the person I’ve identified with during all of my years of living. I knew everything about her; allergies, pms frequency, her capability to problem solve and navigate through her career, her ability to multitask like none other. But she no longer exist, she’s truly gone and I miss her tremendously. Therapy? Yep, been there done that. It seemed to help in the moments I’m sitting with the therapist. Everyday in the effort of trying to identify with my new norm, I get extremely overwhelmed, but am still so thankful I’m still here to tell my story in the hopes it will help others. One moment at a time my fellow survivors…one moment at a time.

In remembrance of a loving wife and mother daughter and sister Evangeline Young was 34 years young when her life was stolen from her. Young and healthy she put up a fight because her concern was her family we all were sick at the same time fighting for our life we were excited when I got to come home we thought she would be next. Her cause of death is still so unclear to me and it is so unfair. That’s at no fault of our own we lost this beautiful soul we tried everything to protect ourselves. I love you Evangeline every day I know I had to watch you take your last breath and I’m sorry you never got to come home.

I was diagnosed with Covid19 on March 18th 2020 just 10 days after my full time and part time jobs furloughed me from my positions. It was strange I have never in my 53 years of life ever gotten that il in such a very quick period. The first day I started feeling I’ll it was just sneezing, 2nd day horrible cough and a fever of 103° I normally can break a fever with tylenol but that just seemed to make it worse. 3rd day fever was 106° I was rushed to the hospital by the 4th day I was on a respirator and continued to be incubated for 3 months. No one had a chance to ask me if I had anyone that needed to be contacted and I was not coherent enough to give any information. The nurses were amazing, however I dont remember the doctors that treated me. They obviously did good because I am alive. It was a horrible experience and not many patients that I was roomed with survived. Each time I awoke there would be someone new next to me. I spent exactly 4 months and 12 days hospitalized and some days I prayed for God to just take me from here. When I was released early July 2020 that is when my true nightmare began. I came home to not having one. My two dogs were given away and my apartment was now someone else’s and my things were either sold or thrown away. Because no one from my apartment management heard anything from the hospital they just assumed I abandoned the property and my pets. I had lived there for over 3 years never late on rent and rent always paid in full. So I took what was left of my savings and rented a room from a girl that had an ad on craigslist. Paid the deposit and what was asked for rent, moved what things I did get back and things I had just purchased for myself into the room 5 days later the girl changed the locks and kept my money and property. Come to find out that this same girl had done the same thing to 7 other people in a 3 months span. I have not fully recovered from the virus I cough everyday, I cant perform my job duties as well as prior to getting Covid19 and everyday I have underlined feelings of hopelessness. I now live in my car, I go sometimes weeks without a daily personal care regimen. My teeth are also starting to break into pieces. I am not sure if this is a result of Covid19 virus or the fact that my meals these days lack proper nutrients. I never recieved Albany cares act from unemployment or any funding whatsoever and Georgia come to the understanding gave more money to people committing fraud then to people that actually needed and was eligible to receive funding. So daily I have to tell myself that there must be a reason why I survived just to keep me from wanting to die.

Hi my name is Angelica and this is my story. I was married for 31 yrs to my beloved husband Tracy Snipes. He was originally from kansas. On oct 14 he became sick and thought it was a flu but after the symptoms kept worsening he did a covid19 test that turned. Out to be positive. He was admitted on 10/21 for one week and a half. We thought he was cleared and out of danger but then they decided to send him to rehabilitation due to oxygen deficiency. After 5 days in rehabilitation one day the oxygen level was low and staff was not able to regulate so he was rush to ER where he was intubated and sedated on 11/12/21. After that his lungs was not holding up and the co2 was not expelling so on 11/14/21 I was force to make a decision to let him go. He was a hard worker and loving husband. He was 54yrs old. He gave me a good life and comfort. He will be missed a lot. Until I see you again my love.