Gina B.'s Story

St.Louis, MO

She goes over to the machine and says, I upped his fentanyl so it won’t be long now. He was gone in 4 seconds if that.

Our kids will never have their dad at anything anymore. The hospital stole that from them, from us.

We Got Sick

“They tested him, gave him Tylenol, Decadron, took X-RAYS of his chest and sent him home.”

Don started feeling a little achy on Wednesday, September 1st, 2021. He told me he was calling into work, right away I knew something was wrong, he’s never sick and never calls into work. Don had just turned 53 on August 26th, 2021 and we just celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary August 22nd, 2021. I can count 3 times in 29 years that Don called into work sick. He didn’t get out of bed all day and had aches and pains the whole time, kind of like the flu.

I started feeling sick that Thursday the 2nd, 2021. We had the same symptoms, so we were both down. Our youngest daughter, Nevaeh, came home from college to take care of us. She had been vaccinated for Covid. Don and I had the exact same symptoms of fever, body aches, no energy, chills, then after a few days had a little cough. We went ahead and went to the CVS pharmacy drive thru on September 7th, 2021 and we both tested positive for Covid-19. Don’s cough was getting worse, so we called his doctor who prescribed cough medicine, steroid, and an inhaler. I was still feeling bad but not as bad as him.

My Dad had Covid in August 2021 and had oxygen at his house. My brother brought that to us because Don was starting to have some trouble breathing. Don had allergy induced asthma, but hardly ever had to use his inhaler. It seemed nothing was helping so we started thinking maybe he should go to the ER. Our daughter had to take him because I was still down. She took him to Mercy/Jefferson in Festus, MO since it’s not far from our house. They tested him, gave him Tylenol, Decadron, took X-RAYS of his chest and sent him home. They said his oxygen wasn’t low enough to keep him. Don came home and went straight to bed. He couldn’t get comfortable all night and his cough was getting worse.

Alone And Scared

Our daughter took him back Saturday the 11th, 2021, to Mercy/Jefferson. This time they wouldn’t let my daughter even go in with him, Don really didn’t want her in there to get sick either. He could hardly walk and keep his balance. She got him to the door and he said he’ll find somewhere to sit. The place was filled so he stood by the doors so when someone came in or out he would feel the breeze and it would feel good. He said the receptionist yelled at him that he’s got to get away from the door! He said he yelled back he’s not feeling well and there's nowhere to sit! They took him back finally, did chest X-rays and blood tests and they said nothing had changed from the previous tests. This time they sent him home with oxygen and a pulseometer.

He came home, through the folder they gave him on the table and was so disoriented and tired that my daughter was helping him walk. I Was still down but feeling a little better. I had no energy! I couldn’t believe that he wasn’t admitted or given antibiotics or something. Sunday the 12th of September he thought he was feeling a little better, but Monday the 13th we took him to Mercy/South/St. Anthony’s early in the morning. He was having severe trouble breathing, couldn’t focus and we could hear a whistle in his breathing, that was alarming! They admitted him right away, none of us could go in with him. From the 13th of September-the 18th. We were texting, he was talking on the phone still having trouble breathing, they had him on oxygen and started him on Remdesiver. We were never told we could FaceTime him and we weren’t allowed to see him in the hospital at all. He sent us a picture Saturday, September 18th. He seemed frustrated that nothing was helping and I could tell he was scared.

Torture

“He endured so many concoctions of medicines for the next 2 weeks, that I didn’t even know about.”

We joked because he had a full beard and he never had one before and he looked skinny. On the 19th I got a call from his Nurse that they’re moving him to ICU. I was shocked! They said they needed to intubate him so he can give his lungs some rest for a couple of days. It scared us all when we were FaceTiming with the doctor. He said Don was strong but needed to rest his lungs. They would help him breathe while he’s out and in a few days they’ll bring him out of it. They said they had to paralyze him in the meantime so he doesn’t pull anything out. I thought that’s crazy but he said it’s normal when they intubate. I thought “oh my gosh” this is so scary, that was the last time we saw him alive!

He endured so many concoctions of medicines for the next 2 weeks, that I didn’t even know about. The doctor called me everyday for an update or I would call the nurses to find out how he’s doing. I asked everyday if I could go up but the answer was always no! I knew in my heart he was going to make it, he was the strongest man I know! This guy worked in construction for 26 years. The heat, the cold was so physically strong and his faith was so strong, I never thought he wouldn’t make it! He still ran and played, and skated with our grandsons. Everyone always told him they couldn’t believe he was 53. He was the sole provider for me and our 4 kids for 29 years.

Withholding Information

“ I had asked when his lungs collapsed and they said they collapsed on the 24th, I was never told this.”

For 2 weeks, from the 19th when they intubated him until October 1st he was on a roller coaster, he was doing good or better then he had fever and not doing good. They were proning him from his belly to his buck. They said he threw up while ventilated then caught bacterial pneumonia, put him on antibiotics and he kept coughing so they sedated more. The 24th he had air leaks on both lungs so they had to put chest tubes to release air on both sides. More sedation even though they said they were gonna start weaning him off and his lungs were getting stiff. The 25th they said he was getting Emphysema. His oxygen was up and down. With antibiotics, they put him on then take him off.

On the 27th, nurses called me early and said Don’s sitting in the chair and breathing on his own. I almost fell over. I thought this is my strong guy, he’s going to make it! Then the nurse gets quiet and says he has the wrong chart. I almost passed out! My husband was stable producing urine and stool and they were putting him back on his belly but he’s on 90% vent. The 29th his temp was better so they may stop with antibiotics and lungs seem to be working a little better placed him on his belly for several hours. I had asked when his lungs collapsed and they said they collapsed on the 24th, I was never told this. I thought I could go up, but then he spiked a fever and I couldn’t. They were hoping to give him a trachea and feeding tube the next week. He had no signs of heart attack. I asked why they took him off the antibiotics after only one or two days. They said “they don’t want him to be on them too much as it could cause more harm.”

September 30th there was growth in blood culture. They said he needed blood pressure support because of fever. I spoke with a nurse that evening. She said she had him on ice, I asked her how the antibiotics were doing, she said he’s not on antibiotics. The doctor didn’t prescribe any even though he told me he was putting him on a broad spectrum antibiotic.

Facilitating Death

I lost him on October 1st 2021 in the evening! I’m devastated. I get his papers and it says he had sepsis early on, and I didn’t know! That’s probably why he had a fever. His body went into septic shock, I feel he should’ve been treated earlier instead of worrying about this so called Covid-19. They wouldn’t let anyone other than me in the night he was dying! Our son snuck in to be there with me as I was a mess to watch the strongest man I know, the love of my life, my one and only, father of our 4 kids, PA to our 4 grandkids, youngest son of my mother in law, everyone’s buddy-GONE. His body was so blown up, I couldn’t believe it! I couldn’t be there when he needed me the most. WHY?!

I asked the doctor in charge if he was comfortable, I just wanted him to be comfortable. She goes over to the machine and says, I upped his fentanyl so it won’t be long now, my son and I looked like what did she say? He was gone in 4 seconds if that. I didn’t want him to die so quickly… I wanted him to be comfortable! I fell to my knees with our son. It’s still unbelievable. He deserved so much better, it’s sickening! Don was an awesome man who sacrificed his whole life for his wife and family that he loved more than himself. He helped anyone that needed help, he loved the Lord, he loved his mother and helped him with anything she needed. He was loyal, genuine, truthful, loving, hardworking, spiritual, so good looking and loved us all. Our grandsons have crying spells, nightmares along with all of us. Because of the protocol I lost the Love of my Life. Our kids will never have their dad at anything anymore. The hospital stole that from them, from us. We need justice!