COVID-19 has taken over almost every aspect of our lives, no matter who you are, no matter where you live. By now, most people have a family member or friend who has been directly affected by the coronavirus.
Every day there are more losses. Our son-in-law, Bobby, is grieving the loss of his uncle. A friend’s father passed away this morning. A guy that Don played baseball with died a few days ago. It is scary to look at social media, because there are so many stories of people who didn’t make it.
We want to offer a success story – a few words about survival, prayer, and determination.
I am a COVID-19 survivor. Our family survived my being in the hospital, in isolation, for eight days.
Within hours of my admission, hundreds, or thousands, of people across the United States were praying for my recovery. I was placed on prayer chains by people I don’t personally know, but they cared about my survival.
After treating at home for over a week, Don and I knew it was time to go to the Emergency Room. It was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe, and I felt panicked. From the moment Don requested help from a nurse at our local ER, I received excellent care from an entire team that was determined to help me live.
We have nothing but praise for St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Youngstown, Ohio. I was given every medication that has shown to be helpful in combatting the coronavirus. Nurses put their lives on the line to care for me, which was quite a job for the first few days I was there. I required oxygen. A lot of oxygen. My lungs were injured and didn’t want to do their job. My body was attacked by fever, the kind of fever that does not respond to medication.
By the grace of God, I survived. My story could have ended differently. People have asked for advice, and the best I have to offer is to go to the hospital as soon as you question whether or not you should go. We almost waited too long.
We are looking for the good things that can, and will, come from this pandemic. Amidst the horror stories are heroes. Everyday people like the associates at Don’s store. These heroes show up every day, making it possible for people to buy groceries. It’s scary. There are lots of customers and there is no way to tell if someone has “it” or if they are a carrier. So, because they are the best of the best, they continue to be helpful to each person who comes into the store. All across the country are heroes, showing up, making it possible for others to buy the things they need.
There is something we can all do to make this very frightening situation better. We can all stay home except for occasional trips out for necessities or, of course, to go to work. It isn’t fun to be isolated from family, friends and activities. It also isn’t fun to be in isolation, fighting to breathe.
Stay home, stay healthy and be kind. You are all in our prayers.
