My daughter, Julie, went to the hospital on Saturday, Nov. 14, very short of breath. That was the last day we saw her in person. My girl is 31 years old but she is still my little girl in my eyes. She has an 8 year old son.
She was admitted and soon diagnosed with COVID pneumonia. 4 days later she was in ICU. Nov. 29, day 15, she was intubated and put on a ventilator. Dec. 16 day 32, she got a tracheostomy. She needed more time for her lungs to heal, but could not remain intubated, so the tracheostomy. Almost immediately she started to improve.
She has been in a hospital bed for 38 days as I write this (Dec. 22). She has not been out of her bed in all that time until yesterday. She sat in a chair and they washed her hair for her.
Julie has a very long road ahead of her - weaning from the ventilator, PT, OT, Speech, healing of her lungs and lots we don’t even know yet.
During this COVID PANDEMIC, no visitors are allowed in pretty much any medical facility. We can’t visit her in the hospital, we won’t be able to visit her in the long return care facility she will go to for ventilator weaning, or the rehab facility to learn how to make her body work again.
Early in this journey, I was in our local hardware store, Akards True Value. They sell lots of great gifts there! I spotted a little bracelet that said “breathe”. I had to put it on! That is the word I repeat in my head all day.
Breathe.
Just breathe, Julie.
Several of us are wearing bracelets that say breathe. I will wear mine until I can put it on my daughter. When I do finally get to see her again, I know she will be breathing easier.
I will certainly breathe easier then also.
In this story: inspirational bracelet.
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