Dealing w/ the spouse of a patient who refuses to believe wife has COVID

[JoanofArgh]

Link to tweet

?s=21

We almost had to remove the spouse of a patient from the hospital last night because he refused to believe that his wife, who had signs/symptoms of COVID for 10 days and was found with an oxygen saturation of *9%* after having a probable stroke, had COVID. Violently in denial.


“But she had a stroke. This has nothing to do with COVID. Why are you making this about COVID”

Refusing to accept that their decision to live at home with her COVID symptoms for 10 days without treatment dropped her SpO2 so low that her brain isn’t receiving the necessary O2.


We see this a lot. Unvaccinated folks having signs/symptoms of covid for 1-2 weeks before coming to the ED, then by the time they get to us they need an emergent intubation. Denial is killing so many of these patients - getting to the hospital sooner means decreased mortality.

For reference, an oxygen saturation below 85% causes lack of oxygen perfusion to vital organs and over any extended period of time is incompatible with life. An SpO2 of 9% isn’t something any of us had ever seen in a patient that wasn’t minutes away from death


COVID denial didn’t pop up out of thin air. There are actual people to hold accountable for this. Carlson, Hannity & others have blood on their hands. Immeasurable loss of life.

The patients know it too, but most find out minutes before intubation and never wake to regret it.

[secondwind]

1. "Never wake to regret it."

Just leave their ignorant mess behind for everyone else to deal with it.

Not an ounce of pity is left in my pity bag.

[JoanofArgh]

3. I feel the same way.

[ananda]

5. Yep, no more pity left for them..

just for the innocents they infect.

[area51]

11. For the innocents they infect,

and also the burnt-out medical personnel who must then try to save the anti-vaxxers.

[3Hotdogs]

36. I know we're not supposed ta make fun of 'em,

but is a little giggle ok?

[COL Mustard]

73. I'm With You, Second Wind

If our fellow Americans are too dumb to get vaccinated, we’re better off without them.

[mgardener]

88. My pity bag...

Shrunk in the wash like it was made out of wool, washed in hot water & dried on the hottest heat cycle.

[Murphyb849]

2. I am a nurse and could not agree more. And OMG pOx of 9 😳

[JoanofArgh]

4. I know right? Back before the vaccine was available,

I went and bought a pulse oximeter , so I could monitor my oxygen levels if I contracted COVID and get to the hospital early, if need be.

[Zorro]

62. Pulse oximeters are ridiculously cheap on Amazon

[JoanofArgh]

63. That's where I got it! cheap and works great.

[catrose]

72. My local pharmacy had them for around $40 at the beginning of the pandemic

Sold out of thermometers, hand sanitizer, all the other supplies, but most people hadn't figured out oximeters yet. I take my pOx after every time I go out and for several days afterwards.

[PatSeg]

30. At first I thought the 9% was a typo

until I saw the number repeated. That is horrifying.

[Maru Kitteh]

57. I'll bet many of the freshly dead have SpO2 readings of 9!

[rsdsharp]

58. Good God! Ten years ago I briefly had a pOx of 84

and I was struggling to breathe, even with supplemental oxygen. I can’t even imagine 9!

[cannabis_flower]

82. About 10 years ago

I had an oxygen level that dropped into the 80s after surgery. I wasn’t struggling to breathe though. I just wasn’t breathing. They had to keep reminding me to breathe. After the anesthetic wore off I was ok.

[rsdsharp]

85. I was breathing rapidly and heavily. I just wasn't getting enough O2.

[Whatthe_Firetruck]

87. I was diagnosed with copd & congestive heart failure in 2010

...And got a tracheostomy at the VA hospital. I was readmitted for hernia surgery in 2017, and then arrhythmia in 2019. They couldn't keep my spO2 up through recovery, so they put me on supplemental oxygen. I have it at home now but I only use it when I sleep. I just checked, and it was 88-90, which is my resting normal that I'm used to. I have to deep breathe to get it up to the 95-98 range.

[lagomorph777]

101. Oh, man I'm sorry. 88-90 is not good.

[Raven123]

6. 9%? Amazing. Pure chance she didn't die before she got to the hospital.

[KS Toronado]

7. "COVID denial didn't pop up out of thin air."

We can thank TFG for starting that, and then FQX nonsense picked up the torch.

[Historic NY]

8. Born stupid and dying even more stupider thanks to the

likes of FOX news.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Twitter replies:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[LisaL]

17. I doubt she is functioning at 9%.

Covid causes strokes through blood clots, and apparently she had a stroke. Her outcome is likely not good.

[NurseJackie]

10. I do not care about these people. They deny covid exists. I deny that THEY exist.

They will continue to spout misinformation and doubts... they'll continue to WILLINGLY incubate mutations and spread them to other innocent UNWILLING victims. So, it's my belief that the sooner they kill themselves off, the better we'll ALL be.

It's a god damned shame that this SUICIDE CULT is wasting precious and limited hospital rooms, beds, resources, etc... and putting the medical staff at risk.

They are not worthy of the care they receive. The are causing other MORE DESERVING victims to be denied lifesaving care.

I've had it up to my eyeballs with these jerks.

[milestogo]

12. All human beings are deserving of medical care.

Its a human right.

[OAITW r.2.0]

19. At some point, anti-vaxxer's are contributing to the destruction of

our medical care system. Perhaps it is time to tell the anti-vax adults that, if they get COVID, they go to an anti-vax hospital. Staffed by like minded quacks and folks like Ron Paul.

[SheltieLover]

20. This!👆

[SouthernDem4ever]

24. And they can get the religious quacks to pray over them while they die

of stupidity.

[OAITW r.2.0]

26. Give them a tub of ivermectin to eat and UV lights up their butt.

Wash it down with some bleach. That should help.

[radical noodle]

37. Insurance companies and medicare

should refuse to cover treatment of those who don't get the vaccine unless they have a medical condition that prevents it, or they should charge anti-vaxxers more for their coverage.

[liberalla]

44. I've expected to see health insurance companies announce rate increases for

individuals that have refused vaccination (without a valid medical reason).

The potential cost of medical care will be much greater for unvaccinated people.

[not fooled]

45. Apparently

the only thing holding back the ins cos. has been lack of FDA approval so far--once that is granted, which should be a mere formality, expect the sh*t to hit the fan and sick anti-vaxxers to be in a whole lotta trouble getting coverage for treatment of needless COVID infections.

[liberalla]

49. That makes sense. I hope the approval comes quickly.

[Mr.Bill]

61. That would put a financial burden

on hospitals who will still have to take them in and care for them.

Higher rates is a good idea.

[Demobrat]

69. Assuming they have insurance.

I doubt if most of these types do.

[Mr.Bill]

70. The post I responded to said Medicare

should refuse payment. Most people over 65 have Medicare. In most states low income people have some sort of government supported health care insurance available to them.

[DENVERPOPS]

81. In three to four weeks

the hospitals across the country should ask: Have you or anyone you know gone to Sturgis.

Perfect scam for the Governor of South Dakota: Invite 700 Thousand people to a shoulder to shoulder ten day, party in your state, collect a hundred million in Sales Taxes (literally) and then send them all home across the entire U.S. and let their states deal with the outrageous costs of taking care of them.

Last year, the governor of SDak couldn't even begin to take care of the residents of her state who came down with the Covid after Sturgis and begged all the other States around her to take their covid patients......

[OAITW r.2.0]

91. Noem and SD hosted this super spreader event.

They rake in the bucks, and the states where the infected live get to pay the social costs. They ought to track it. Do you own a Harley? Did you go to Sturgis? A Grand social analysis on how delta Covide spreads. Well done freedumb lovers!

[OAITW r.2.0]

90. Totally agree. Time to put your wallet where your mouth is.

You believe in anti-vax? You pay for the privilege.

[jmbar2]

51. Post of the day!

Years ago, I had a relative who was Christian Science. They don't believe in medicine. When they get critically ill, they go to "sanatoriums" where they are fed and bathed, but no other treatment is offered for pain, infections, etc. Only prayers.

The agonizing end of life for these folks is hidden from view to maintain the illusion that prayer alone suffices. The antivaxxers and Covid deniers should have a similar place to go to protect our healthcare system and workers. Give 'em palliative care and move on.

Antivaxxers are like the zombies in The Walking Dead. They are everywhere. And we need to protect ourselves from them until they die off.

I have no more f's to give.

[OAITW r.2.0]

92. Well said.

We seems to be on the same wavelength.

[Celerity]

56. +1

[Farmer-Rick]

22. Yeah, anti- vaxxers are horrible deadly people but

Everyone has a right to healthcare. We are not in the 1920s anymore.

But anti-vaxxers have brought their suffering on themselves.

Early in the pandemic, I had a neighbor die of Covid and her hubby was really sick. They knew it was Covid-19 and said so back then. But now he goes around pretending her death was a simple heart attack. He's an anti-vaxxer now.

I was stunned when I heard him claim Covid-19 was a hoax and the vaccine a plot. Talk about denial. Maybe it's his grief but since he's an overweight man with COPD, I hope he' s just talking.

[HariSeldon]

64. Yeah, a right to healthcare until...

...the person's antisocial choices are putting their healthcare needs in contention with the healthcare needs of others who are looking out for the good of their community by vaccinating. Hoping, wishing, praying, and humane intentions do not increase the number of available, staffed beds in the community.

I'll be damned if I say that it's fair to give an anti-vaxxer a bed my too-young-to-vaccinate son needs (if his exposure in a masked setting does lead to infection with serious symptoms). Their decisions are also generally exhausting the "surge" capacity of the medical community -- the extra shifts, canceled vacations, willingness to stay isolated from family, etc. -- and then what if a variant arises that truly threatens the vaccinated?

[Farmer-Rick]

80. Yeah, I agree they are endangering everyone else.

They are selfish, cruel and stupid.

But we have very few repurcussions for this behavior in the US. There already were anti-vaxxers before Covid-19. They went around happily spreading measels with no more than a slap on the wrist. There were full blown cults of them sharing lies on Facebook. This behavior was allowed and is still allowed because someone is making bank on it and because there is less trust of the for profit medical establishment among the middle and poor classes.

You know if the anti-vaxxer is rich, they will easily get all the best healthcare in the world to save their life when they catch Covid, like Trump did. No matter how many beds the for profit hospitals allow, there will be one for a rich man.The filthy rich will spend their loot for quality medical attention some masked and vaccinated people could never get. So, really it doesn't matter if you are an anti-vaxxer, maskless idiot or a well meaning, concerned, vaccinated, mask wearing saint. Getting medical attention only depends on how rich you are.

So at this point, getting medical attention in the US is all about how much money you have and not about taking sane and legitimate precautions. If you're rich, there will be extra special medical care for you no matter how full up the average hospital is. How we ration medical care in the has very little to do with Covid.

[OAITW r.2.0]

93. My niece is a 33 YO ICU nurse at a major ME hospital. She now has 2 kids and she is wondering

if it's time to find a new career. God help us all....

[plimsoll]

77. Maybe we should consider anti-vaccine people to be opting for Euthanasia?

Or putting a big DNR on themselves. The have a right to healthcare, but they refused healthcare (the vaccine) when offered. That choice now impacts other choices. They're the ones who are talking about "choice," it would be trying to respect their wishes.

[PatSeg]

35. Yes, I agree

Espousing we withhold medical treatment from COVID deniers further politicizes healthcare. Obviously, it is hard to feel much sympathy for the pain and suffering of such people, but we cannot encourage healthcare providers to pick and choose who receives proper medical care. It is their purpose not to judge their patients, but to ideally treat all the same.

We already see enough of that in modern medicine for many reasons. We should be striving to become better, not worse. Society will judge this patient and her husband and rightfully so, but we do not need to see that in our doctors and nurses.

[HariSeldon]

65. That only works if medical resources are infinite

But we are already running out of beds in many areas and medical providers are complaining of exhaustion. Providers are people, too, and we are seriously reaching the point where rationing the provision of healthcare, serving only those who take all steps they have available to stem this crisis, is starting to look necessary, at least to me.

[PatSeg]

75. There are no easy answers

but we should avoid encouraging healthcare providers to play god when treating patients. However, I know sometimes difficult choices are inevitable.

[Demobrat]

67. I don't think they should be turned away at the hospital door but

I don’t think their care should be socialized either. If they are unvaccinated by choice and live they should have to pay for the care themselves. Of course they won’t be able to cover it all, but they should have to pay what they can based on income and assets.

If they spend the rest of their lives working to pay the bill, well, too bad. That’s the choice they made.

[mrsadm]

39. I agree, and I continue to believe

and am actually thankful for, Darwin at work here. Eliminating the mentally stupid people so the human race will be smarter on average in the future.

[róisín_dubh]

95. I have to get a breast biopsy next week

and I swear to god that if I need surgery and can’t get it, I’ll lose my shit.

Thankfully at the absolute worst I could have it done in England. But still.

[NurseJackie]

99. Been there. Good luck!

[Joinfortmill]

13. Insanity. Sad and maddening.

[yardwork]

14. Kick for visibility.

[twodogsbarking]

15. COVID Roulette.

Keep spinning.

[dewsgirl]

16. 9 percent is mind blowing. There has been a significant

uptick in these stories over the past couple weeks. The right wing media brainwashing has/is definitely working.😕

[gab13by13]

18. This thread just made me check my O2 level,

since I am getting over a cold; 97% and I can smell and no fever.

This Covid has made me extra precautious. When my 7 year old visited me for a week we wore masks in stores when no one else was wearing them. I care about my grandchild.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

21. The intubation did not emerge. It was an emergency intubation, not emergent. . . . nt

[TNNurse]

23. Again, the nurse did not take the Hippocratic oath. That is doctors.

Many take the Nightingale oath, I did.

9% oxygen is hard to imagine. She will surely not survive and if she did there would be permanent brain damage from that. Add a stroke and COVID and survival if possible would be vegetative.

[LisaL]

25. I also doubt she is going to make it.

Stroke and a 9% oxygen. Not a good combination.

[Jon King]

27. Our goal is to prevent this cult from bringing us all down.

At this point the right wingers have become a crazed cult, no different than Jonestown. Nothing left to do but limit the damage they can do to the health, climate, and democracy of the country.

[Lonestarblue]

28. And once again hospital beds are filling up, including pediatric wings.

Here in Austin, the mayor is voicing frustration because he cannot issue a mask mandate or require that city employees be vaccinated because our idiot governor signed an executive order forbidding city leaders from taking any actions to stop the spread of the virus. Texas is once again a hotspot in the nation. The recommendations for schools here are beyond ludicrous. Not only are masks forbidden but school leaders cannot notify parents if a child in their child’s class has Covid. Nor will they do any contact tracing. It’s as if we are just accepting the virus, and it kills however many people it can. Not the governor’s problem or concern.

I have continued wearing a mask when out, but very few other people do. It’s time for private businesses to step up and require masks because our governor is clearly part of the Republican Pandemic Death Squad bringing illness and death to as many people as possible.

[crickets]

68. Governors who have banned mask mandates or discouraged vaccination efforts

in any way should be criminally charged. To ban a reasonable health mandate designed to save lives is absolutely beyond the pale. Such policy deliberately, directly leads to the spread of illness and death among the population that governor is tasked to protect. It embodies the exact opposite of the responsibility the officeholder is tasked to uphold.

[catrose]

71. Stage 5 yes. Whenever I see a store employee in a mask, I thank them.

If the kid were still at home, I'd be homeschooling.

[johnthewoodworker]

29. Republican/Nazis are some real dumb shits and I hope a lot of them die. But that's just me.

So it goes.

[Jon King]

32. At this point they are destroying our climate and health and democracy.

Pretty much have to look at them as the enemy for the future of our kids. grand kids, and the country as a democracy, along with the planet's climate.

Its hard to feel bad when someone that dangerous dies.

[HariSeldon]

66. I agree, I can't care much about these deaths

It's what is leading up to the deaths that concerns me. I think they should stick to their healthcare plan as described by Grayson: Don't get sick.... Or if you do get sick, die quickly. I'd add "preferably before you get to the hospital."

[Mysterian]

31. Why are there no consequences for evil people who spread misinformation?

Something our society needs to consider if we are to remain a healthy democracy.

[FailureToCommunicate]

33. Suicide by stupidity. An emerging diagnosis.

(Actually more like willful ignorance)

Assisted suicide by FOX Network and Republican politicians.

[Kid Berwyn]

34. The bad example.

Many people follow a cowardly moron.

[maryellen99]

43. Because they believe his recovery is a "miracle from god" and not due to the VIP drugs he got nt

[Kid Berwyn]

50. For many, belief 'trumps' (sorry) truth.

“Propaganda is a truly terrible weapon in the hands of an expert.” — Adolf Hitler

[Wounded Bear]

38. K & R...for visibility...nt

[Irish_Dem]

40. GOP leading its own base to slaughter to create division and chaos.

All for political gain.

These are ruthless sociopaths who will stop at nothing.

[NJCher]

96. And if this is what they do for their supporters

Imagine what they will do to us if they take over.

Iraq war is a good example.

It is so hard to believe what they are doing, yet it is happening right before our eyes. If this was a proposal for a book, no publisher would buy it because it stretches credulity.

[Irish_Dem]

100. Exactly. They are killing American citizens by the thousands and not blinking an eye.

And people seem to just shrug it off. We have become desensitized to all of it, I guess.

Yes, there was no concern at all for the deaths and injury to the Iraqis or American soldiers.

We are all just necessary collateral damage in the quest for money and power.
Mankind is not evolving at all.

[patphil]

41. None of those people in positions of great influence will ever be held accountable.

All the Covid deniers, vaccine deniers, those who attack science, medicine, and medical experts, those who politicize the whole concept of making the country safe so we can beat this horrible pandemic...none of them will ever get the justice they deserve for the pain, suffering, and death they cause.

Sure, there are a lot of people who put themselves in a position where they succumb to the Covid virus; dumb, ignorant people who are easily lead by those who wield power and/or influence. But, they could just as easily be lead to safety if these same enablers supported the medical evidence, and encouraged people to stay safe.

It's a tragedy, one that will continue unabated for quite some time. Each new variant will take it's toll, as it burns through the nation.

Stupid is one thing, but malicious actions by people with power and influence is quite another.
What they do is essentially premeditated murder.

[usaf-vet]

42. A friend of mine just passed the national Paramedics exam. She has already been hired.

As a former military medic, we have always shared stories of some of the crazy things we have seen. She has been an EMT for several years and has been a volunteer on a local all-volunteer service.

As a joke, I anonymously sent her this T-shirt from Amazon.

https://tinyurl.com/3rmua2pn

Today she had a call the proves the point of the T-Shirt.

[JoanofArgh]

46. That is a very relevant t- shirt.

Thanks for posting.

[NJCher]

98. + 1000

Eom

[IronLionZion]

47. Husband probably has COVID too

but would likely refuse to be tested or quarantine

[LisaL]

48. That's pretty much a given.

NT

[Traildogbob]

52. Stop taking up space!!!

Before 2022 elections we may be able to absolutely credit Donald and Fox with Making American Great Again. With the elimination of all his cult followers. Those red hats will be collectors items for accuracy of prophecy. And a warning to all future generations. “This was their brain on Trump”.

[dalton99a]

53. What he really means is he doesn't want Covid on her death certificate.

[Pas-de-Calais]

54. This virus is not playing around

Stroke? Laughable

9%? Not something to see
How low can I go type of thing

[Celerity]

55. Violently in denial.

[GB_RN]

59. Nine Percent

The woman is brain dead. I’m surprised they even bothered to intubate.

[perfessor]

60. For me, the saddest part of the story

... is that this mope will come away with his belief that covid is a hoax reinforced. He "knows" his wife died of a stroke. Yet the doctors say otherwise!! See how they twist the facts??!! Never was a covid death, he will say to all his friends, right up until he is intubated himself.

Sheesh.

[Orrex]

74. Good. Fuck him.

After a year and a half of being mocked for trying to be safe in the face of a historical global health catastrophe, I have little compassion left over for the people who've gone out of their way to weaponize their stubborn ignorance.

[Upthevibe]

76. Kick....n/t

..................... no F's to give...................

[Shoeless Louis]

78. I'm sorry sir. She is dying of IQ deficiency. We don't have a vaccine for that yet.

[Skittles]

79. is this a joke?

NOT funny

[roamer65]

84. She is someone who would not receive intensive care in a military field hospital during war.

At best, it would only be palliative.

That needs to happen in this case.

[Warpy]

86. There is no guarantee the hospital coulc have saved her

although they might have prevented the clot that caused her stroke. A 9% O2 saturation is just not compatible with life, hear heart and brain had been irreversibly damaged by then.

Hubby was in heavy denial and likely so was she. Covid is a weird disease. People can go 10 days without being particularly ill, even having a few periods when they feel perfectly fine. Day 10 or so is when people crash and burn and it is sudden and terrifying, even when the crash happens in the hospital Few people survive it, even with staff and equipment right there.

This is just sad and frustrating for doctors and nurses. Most likely, his/her denial and disinformation didn't kill her, Covid did. It just made the whole thing so much harder on the people who were trying to do their jobs.

Posted elsewhere is an article about how Pox News is trying to scrub their disinformation videos off the net. Good luck to them, too many people have excerpted them over the last year for that to happen efficiently. I want them to face consequences for yelling "FIRE!" in a crowded theater, for killing people who made the mistake of trusting them.

[live love laugh]

89. Meanwhile he was/is a super spreader. Nt

[Demovictory9]

94. he's feeling guilty... needs it NOT to be COVID

[DFW]

97. If the husband isn't an accessory before the fact to his wife's murder

He is at the very least an unindicted co-conspiritor. How these people can give greater priority to Fox Noise than the lives of their own spouses is a mystery to me.