My Dad died from complications from COVID-19. Alone on his final journey, he fought long and hard. Not being able to be there in person, to tell him we loved him and what was happening to him was impossible to deal with. He lived alone, and with all of his health issues, was doing well. Then, he began showing symptoms of the virus that started his journey back and forth to doctors, the hospital, acute rehab, sub acute rehab and back to the hospital where his condition declined rapidly until he could no longer eat. Being a diabetic, his feet needed to be cared for regularly. The acute rehab got him on his feet, but they were never checked. He fell there also and was never seen by a doctor before discharging him. By the time he was back in the hospital, he had a blood infection from a cut between his toes. The virus held his body back from being able to fight it off. On the first visit to the hospital , they discharged him too soon to acute rehab, after only a few days stay because they needed the bed. The acute rehab discharged him too soon to sub-acute rehab because they needed the bed. They were going to send him home! Alone! I had to fight to at least get him to the sub acute rehab. Then, after 3 days of his condition declining, with this 2nd facility doing NOTHING at all for him, I had to fight to get him back in the hospital to be cared for. He died not too long after that. My Dad would still be alive today without the complications from COVID-19. We had a surprise 80th birthday party for him planned for a month and a half later. We miss you Dad, so much! Will love you forever!
– Mindy Zimmerman, New York
