Respect Recovery and Remembrance #AtoZChallenge

Oh dear, I tried to Resist but I'm deviating from my A to Z theme today.

I haven't blogged about my autistic brother in law, "B", for a long time.  He's had a lot of life changes in the past almost five years.  Here's a partial list: his elderly mother needing to be moved up here so family could take care of her (and, as he lived with her, he had to come along), her eventual death, and him moving into what is called supportive housing.

But all that was to pale besides what happened two weeks ago yesterday.

We got a call that he was being taken to the emergency room - a nurse at the agency that runs the housing and provides other services to him didn't like what she saw in her daily screening of the occupants.  His oxygen was lower than it should be. He was running a fever.

He was seen at the ER, given various tests, and released.

But the next day he was worse.  He was coughing, his oxygen was still low and his fever had returned, higher.  This time, at a different hospital, he was admitted and placed into isolation.  That was two weeks ago today.  He was monitored continuously in this ward that once was a pediatric ward.  It had been repurposed, but the baby monitors remained for monitoring.

A COVID-19 test came back two days later - positive. He was moved into a COVID ward but they couldn't maintain his oxygen level and he was moved to another COVID ward where he could receive extra oxygen support (high flow oxygen) and a lot more monitoring.  He had double pneumonia (we found out after we were told initially it was only in one lung).  He was on IV antibiotics and a number of other medications. 

He's been in that ward ever since.

Let me tell you about that ward, which we have never seen.  We have never seen any of the various nurses who looked after him, either. (My spouse did meet the hospitalist who has been caring for "B" back when spouse was hospitalized last year.)  But I know their names, and they will have a Respectful place in our hearts for the rest of our lives.

This COVID ward is a former Respiratory ward.  It has negative pressure, meaning air can only enter.  Needless to say, everyone working in there wears the PPE we have come to know and Recognize.

As is the Rule, none of us were able to see him.  His family became the nurses and doctors, and they would also update us when we called. 

Eating was too exhausting for most of his time in the ward.  He didn't want to answer the phone, many times.

The head nurse at the agency providing his housing was a tremendous support too, as were some others who have worked with him.

He started to make slow progress several days ago, and made substantial progress (slow but that's how it goes with the coronavirus) yesterday, when he was able, with help, to stand up and be placed in a chair.  Before then, he could hardly move without his oxygen slipping down below acceptable levels.  He lasted an hour in the chair before he had to return to bed and the land of healing sleep.

He has a long Road to Recovery.

We Realize how close "B" may have come to the brink.  With that, we Remember the tens of thousands who passed over that brink, and entered the next world.  We know they were alone except for those nurses and doctors.  Each lost life was a tragic loss.  Those aren't statistics, they were people. Everyone I know who lives in New York City, where some of my family lives, knows one or more persons who are no longer in their lives.

Calling the essential workers: the health care people, the transit workers, supermarket employees, the mail deliverers, the sanitation people, farmers, meat processors and more, "heroes", can not be idle talk when all of this finally Resolves, but that is a post for another day.

And for you out there who think the coronavirus is no worse than the flu:  I will put this as succinctly as possible.  If you develop any symptoms, call your health provider right away.  It could be nothing.  And please, please, listen to those health authorities.

To all those who are or having been involved with my brother in law,  I present a virtual bouquet of flowers. This was taken in April of 2017 in Richmond, Virginia.

Stay well, my dear readers.  Stay safe.

"R" day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme probably doesn't matter anymore.