Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

rustysgurl

(1,040 posts)
Mon Sep 13, 2021, 10:54 PM Sep 2021

They Survived ... It's a Freaking Miracle

My sister and brother-in-law came home from the hospital today, after more than a week in what was essentially ICU, suffering from COVID pneumonia. The regular ICU was full so the hospital took a wing of nothing but private rooms and created make-shift ICU units. She was in one room and he was across the hall. They were both on BiPAP, remdesivir, steroids, antibiotics, etc., and both received monoclonal antibody infusions prior to admittance. Both had different symptoms (he had raging headaches and high fever; she had unbelievable weakness and nausea) in addition to the lung-shattering coughs. She also suffered from brain fog and short term memory loss. I kept in touch via phone - no visitors, of course. Fortunately I was listed as an emergency contact so could talk to the nursing staff and get the scoop.

He progressed relatively normally with no setbacks, she could barely move out of the bed without her oxygen plummeting and had a couple of bad episodes. He got out Saturday. She was discharged today. Both are home on oxygen, receiving physical therapy and home health care. Both were told by doctors that it could be weeks or months before they are back to anything that resembles normal. She lost over 10 lbs. He lost 24 lbs.

Were they vaccinated? NO. Are they telling anyone within earshot that they need to be vaccinated now? YES. My sister is texting and calling everyone she knows (when she has the breath to talk) to tell them to get vaccinated.

I guess some good came out of this.

32 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
They Survived ... It's a Freaking Miracle (Original Post) rustysgurl Sep 2021 OP
I'm glad they're doing better and came out of this wiser MustLoveBeagles Sep 2021 #1
It seems like a lot of people won't take it serious till it's them or a family member. captain queeg Sep 2021 #2
I'm glad they did! I haven't broached the subject of vaccination MissB Sep 2021 #3
I'm glad they survived and hope they continue to good health wendyb-NC Sep 2021 #4
This is great news LetMyPeopleVote Sep 2021 #5
Wonderful news!!! Beacool Sep 2021 #6
Who Knew? SoCalDavidS Sep 2021 #7
These stories NJCher Sep 2021 #8
Glad to hear this, AND how your sister has seen the light. calimary Sep 2021 #9
I'm glad they survived this awful ordeal. brer cat Sep 2021 #10
Glad to heat they're recovering. It's to bad that it took a near death experience to open their eyes Fla Dem Sep 2021 #11
Are they now going to warn everyone they came into contact with like the hotels? MagickMuffin Sep 2021 #12
Their county is doing the contact tracing rustysgurl Sep 2021 #28
Good, I'm glad for that MagickMuffin Sep 2021 #31
Glad to hear they're going to make it and have "seen the light", so to speak. Texin Sep 2021 #13
K & R malaise Sep 2021 #14
Is their health insurance going to cover it all? Woodwizard Sep 2021 #15
I thought caps on treatment were illegal under the ACA democrattotheend Sep 2021 #17
True, but there was an exception for private plans that were grandfathered in. thesquanderer Sep 2021 #19
They had some Christian Healthcare sharing organization Woodwizard Sep 2021 #21
Idea: Cap all covid overage for unvaccinated adults at, say, $20k... thesquanderer Sep 2021 #20
I don't know ... rustysgurl Sep 2021 #29
I am glad that they survived. We can hope that their experience just mght save a niyad Sep 2021 #16
I am ok ... thanks. rustysgurl Sep 2021 #30
That delta is a real mutherfucker. ananda Sep 2021 #18
I wonder what the long term health effects might be for them. NurseJackie Sep 2021 #22
I happy for you and them. IbogaProject Sep 2021 #23
I agree with you 100% n/t rustysgurl Sep 2021 #27
MAGAlung disease. roamer65 Sep 2021 #24
Who paid for all that treatment? marble falls Sep 2021 #25
Insurance rustysgurl Sep 2021 #26
I happen to think it's totally despicable that they went to a hospital PoindexterOglethorpe Sep 2021 #32

captain queeg

(10,171 posts)
2. It seems like a lot of people won't take it serious till it's them or a family member.
Mon Sep 13, 2021, 11:03 PM
Sep 2021

It’s too bad that’s what it takes but for each person that gets hospitalized maybe they’ll convince 10 others, so maybe the numbers will start improving.

MissB

(15,805 posts)
3. I'm glad they did! I haven't broached the subject of vaccination
Mon Sep 13, 2021, 11:22 PM
Sep 2021

with my mom yet. She’s recovering at home- never got medical care at all, though she should have. She’s just too stubborn to go to the doctor. I’m pretty sure she has/has covid pneumonia but she’s honestly doing better.

Her husband didn’t make it though. Neither was vaccinated.

I’m assuming she’s processing the death of her spouse still. I’ll ask her about getting vaccinated in a week or so.

wendyb-NC

(3,322 posts)
4. I'm glad they survived and hope they continue to good health
Mon Sep 13, 2021, 11:37 PM
Sep 2021

It sounds like a terrifying experience, for them. You, also, must have been on pins and needles, and, no doubt still worry.
Good of them to and pass their awakened understanding, on to friends, and others what Covid-19 can do people who are not vaccinated. So get your shot.

What a high price to pay for an epiphany, from the near death experience of contracting a full blown case Covid-19, themselves, because they didn't get the vaccination.

Beacool

(30,247 posts)
6. Wonderful news!!!
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 12:19 AM
Sep 2021

I'm glad that they saw the light, but it's a pity that they almost had to die before they got their wake-up call.

NJCher

(35,658 posts)
8. These stories
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 01:35 AM
Sep 2021

Are so stunning to me. I still can hardly believe we are living through such a time. It must have been agonizing for you to see your sister in such a state. I know if it had been my sibling, I would be thinking of nothing else.

calimary

(81,220 posts)
9. Glad to hear this, AND how your sister has seen the light.
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 01:43 AM
Sep 2021

Maybe her experience will shake a few denialists awake.

brer cat

(24,559 posts)
10. I'm glad they survived this awful ordeal.
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 06:50 AM
Sep 2021

Maybe they will influence some other unvaxxed to get on board.

MagickMuffin

(15,936 posts)
12. Are they now going to warn everyone they came into contact with like the hotels?
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 10:39 AM
Sep 2021


They knew they had covid during their trip and didn't tell anyone, if I remember this story when first posted.

They need to notify those they might have exposed.


rustysgurl

(1,040 posts)
28. Their county is doing the contact tracing
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 04:49 PM
Sep 2021

and all they came in contact with during their trip were notified. No choice ... the county demanded the info from them.

MagickMuffin

(15,936 posts)
31. Good, I'm glad for that
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 07:18 PM
Sep 2021


I know they seemed a little hesitant about their whereabouts. But good that the county got the information to inform others that they were in contact with.


If everyone would just be grown ups about this it would make everything so much easier. And I have friends who think they are invincible and refuse masks and vaccines.


Texin

(2,594 posts)
13. Glad to hear they're going to make it and have "seen the light", so to speak.
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 10:40 AM
Sep 2021

Maybe when they're feeling a little bit better...maybe six or nine months from now, they'd be willing to tell you why they were so resistant to a safe vaccine(s), like they've (presumably) been getting since their childhood.

Woodwizard

(842 posts)
15. Is their health insurance going to cover it all?
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 11:49 AM
Sep 2021

I have been following a blog of a person that was in one of my facebook groups, his wife was posting his daily progression, he just died Saturday after 8 weeks in the hospital. Their health plan capped out way before then and she is now buried in debt along with no husband and a 15 year old son.

Free shot or crippling debt, decisions decisions.............

democrattotheend

(11,605 posts)
17. I thought caps on treatment were illegal under the ACA
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 11:58 AM
Sep 2021

I thought the ACA made it illegal to have caps on coverage.

thesquanderer

(11,986 posts)
19. True, but there was an exception for private plans that were grandfathered in.
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 12:28 PM
Sep 2021

It was part of Obama's attempting to keep his promise that, "if you like your current plan, you can keep it."

Woodwizard

(842 posts)
21. They had some Christian Healthcare sharing organization
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 12:44 PM
Sep 2021

Whatever that is. Thoughts and prayers did not work out very well for him.

thesquanderer

(11,986 posts)
20. Idea: Cap all covid overage for unvaccinated adults at, say, $20k...
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 12:40 PM
Sep 2021

...unless they have a medical reason for not getting the vaccine.

There's a limit to how much we need to subsidize the health care of people who are unwilling to take basic preventative steps. Maybe the fear of bankruptcy will scare some people into getting the shot, if fear of the disease itself is not doing it.

niyad

(113,262 posts)
16. I am glad that they survived. We can hope that their experience just mght save a
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 11:49 AM
Sep 2021

life or two.

How are you doing now?

IbogaProject

(2,804 posts)
23. I happy for you and them.
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 04:09 PM
Sep 2021

I happy for you and them.

But I am furious these costs are going to be born by the rest of us with all the money wasted on them and all the extra aftercare every survivor is going to need. This will continue to clog our understaffed Medical Doctor supply for years and years.

rustysgurl

(1,040 posts)
26. Insurance
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 04:48 PM
Sep 2021

my bro-in-law has through his employment with the Federal Government (FAA). So I guess you could say we all did.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,848 posts)
32. I happen to think it's totally despicable that they went to a hospital
Tue Sep 14, 2021, 07:50 PM
Sep 2021

after refusing to be vaccinated. Using up beds and medical care of people who got vaccinated and now maybe have a heart attack, or need hernia surgery, or something.

If you don't get vaccinated don't go to the hospital.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»They Survived ... It's a ...