Texas

We both caught COVID on July 4 2020…my husband went to Er only after he was having trouble breathing…I was taken by ambulance the next day.. everything happened so fast…he went straight to ICU and was vented that day with a emergency trachea placed on day 7…he lasted 48 days in ICU before COVID took him…never got to say goodbye never allowed to be at his side…he died alone with medical staff that worked hard to keep him comfortable…

My husband went to the hospital on Thursday. October 22,2020. I was not allowed to see him until November 3, 2020 just a couple hours before he died. Husband was 60 years old and in good health. Husband was a great husband, father, grandfather, son and brother. He missed every day. I try my hardest to push through, but It still hurts so bad that he’s gone.

I lost my daughter to covid on 11-10-2020 she was only 30 years old and had so much more life to live..she worked in 2 different hospitals as a steril processing and was in school to be a nurse..she didn’t have children she said ….mom there’s to many kids in the system and I can’t help them all but I want to adopt 2 when I’m done with school and me and you and my kids will travel…..she was truly an angel she had so much more to do..but it’s God’s will..she had a tremendous love for her nieces and nephews …grandpa and mother (myself )…..her favorite quote was….love and live life! Love you and miss you Rita Simone Traylor……..mom

My father, my person, died of Covid-19 infection and pneumonia right before Thanksgiving 2021. I am his youngest child and I was honored to be able to hold his hand and fight for his survival at his side under strict Covid restrictions. I’ve never hurt so badly nor have I wanted to save someone more than that moment he took his last breath. The experience was the most traumatic thing I have ever had happen, ensuring that not a day will go by where I do not think of him and what he went through. Our loved ones died a horrible death at the hands to Covid-19. I wouldn’t wish it upon a single soul. My heart aches for all those affected. Until I meet you in Valhalla, I love and miss you dad.

Robert Bruce Weikert 02/04/1960 – 11/23/2021

Dora Moreno, my mom, would love it best to tell her story by directly speaking to her from my heart….. Mom, I remember you telling your 8 children 4 important things: 1. I hope to die before my children because I never want to you suffer; 2. bring me roses while I am alive and not at my burial; 3. come together as family during painful times; and 4. have faith in God. Covid-19 entered our lives so unexpectedly and we hoped, as did the entire world it would not touch our lives. It did! Belinda (sibling) responded quickly, as she did with so many others, to get you to the hospital and stayed with you as long as she was allowed. Life, as never experienced, would unfold with mystery, yet filled with a hopeful spirit from your children. You became a greater focal part of our lives. At 81 years of age, you took great care of yourself by taking your medication faithfully and keeping the oxygen tank nearby. Belinda would keep us abreast of your status and would be your voice with the physicians, nurses, and others. I remember calling you and the last time I heard your voice, “Mijo, I’m not feeling good so I’ll talk with you later.” I responded, “take care, I’ll be praying for you, and I love you.” I can see you placing your trust into the hands of these new friends, similar to the way you trusted God. Mom, your journey was not easy for you physically even though the medical team stayed at your side. Why did I keep seeing you as a strong person laying in the bed, unable to speak nor open your eyes. Having to medicate you to rest your tired body we never left your side.? Knowing you were carefully listening, nurses loved you and found joy in your children patiently waiting for the next Zoom gathering. We continued to give you roses… playing music and singing (your favorite, Tennessee Whiskey), praying your loved prayers, moments of silence and most importantly, talking. We did as you instructed by giving you roses, coming together during difficult times, and expressing our faith in God. You always loved us and I am happy to know our return of love has no end. As we patiently remained present, the medical team (now, our trusted friends) never gave up, as they did with all patients. Beginning June 10, 2020 and nearly 38 days later, the decision to move you to hospice became our reality. Belinda, your stubbornly faithful daughter, entered into a dialogue with the doctors to advocate for your return home. You were the first person from that hospital given permission to come home. Now we began the new journey. On July 18, Rick (brother) and Belinda took part in the place you loved the most, home. Due to the restrictions, most of us, with a few grandchildren and friends, were able to welcome you home and a somber excitement filled the room. And mom, from my heart I say, “ the Holy Spirit was present.” The room was nicely arranged with photos and a prayer space with your bible, prayer books, rosary, blessed water and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We gathered to pray with you and after blessing the water, each of us laid our hands on you and gave you our blessings. Afterwards, we left the room so the hospice staff nurse could do her work. You were home!!! and no more than five minutes, God called you to a new life in heaven. I remember you sharing with me, “the day of your (all her children) birth, I handed you over to God.” You lived as a true and faithful servant and, now, we had the bittersweet and humbling gift of handing you over to God. Similar to dad’s death, of new life, I took the blessed water and each of us, blessed your forehead because you were knowledgeable in faith and life, your lips because you spoke and lived the scriptures, your heart because you loved others as called by faith, your hands because you molded us to touch life with love and service, and your feet because you walked a journey on earth and now you will walk in heaven. All things you asked of your children was given to you. With our gifts and limitations, we are more bonded than we’ve ever been. Knowing you are proud of us, I hear your voice clearly, “hey guys, this isn’t only about me because there are a lot others out there having worse times. Help them out!” You are, and will always be, God’s humble servant hope, faith, and love. Mom, this story is your life and every day you are in my prayers and heart. our time together and I share with you one of our favorite times together.

Little did we know… July 7, 2020 would mark the beginning of our nightmare. Both my mother (Massiel) and her father, my grandfather (Francisco) were admitted to the hospital. He was in a covid unit with pneumonia in his left lung and she was admitted to the ICU immediately. We were unable to visit and since they were both on a bi-pap mask it was not safe for them to speak to us. A few days in, my mother was intubated and placed on a ventilator. A few days later we learned that she suffered a stroke. The doctors advised us that they didn’t know the extent of the damage it had caused and 2 weeks later told us that if we wanted to keep her alive, she needed to have a tracheostomy and so did he because his oxygen levels were worsening. That morning, she went into surgery first and he followed. The morning of July 31st we lost my grandpa and 18 days later, my mom followed. She died alone. My brothers and I didn’t get to say goodbye or hold her hand and comfort her. The backbone and glue of our family was gone and this virus marked our family forever.

I contracted COVID-19 in October ‘20. I spent a week in the hospital and at the time thought that was it and that it would be over. In the almost 14 months since I’ve experienced issues with breathing, blood pressure issues, weakness, stamina, etc. The worst has been the PTSD that I’ve been diagnosed with since. Nightmares, spacing out over it, reading about it, talking about it, possible chance exposures and what not, it always being in the news, it always ring a topic of conversation… it just makes it feel like this thing that came into my life and almost took me and then was just gone… it feels like it took a lot of me with it. I’m not as strong as I was, I don’t have the breath or the energy, I stay dizzy now, and sometimes those “COVID thoughts” get so heavy and depressing… But I still feel blessed. Blessed to be here with my wife and kids and friends and family. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to receive the vaccine and booster. And I’m really thankful. I didn’t have it as bad as a lot of folks and I’ve known folks that have passed from it. It makes you feel guilty to have any complaints about the hand you were dealt when so many people lost their lives. That said, it’s had a profound effect on my life as well as my family. Our kids even wound up in therapy to deal with their anxieties and fears from that time. But you know, everyday we get a little bit further out from it. And everyday we all get a little better. And everyday we’re thankful.