Re: “Denial is deadly” [David Horsey editorial cartoon, Oct. 1, Opinion]:
This is the rest of the story. One of my Eastern Washington siblings, a healthy, active, 71-year-old, still working part time, but unvaccinated, got COVID-19.
This is what their body had to endure since the first week of September:
• Difficulty breathing so put on a ventilator.
• Ventilator caused anxiety and delirium, causing sibling to try to pull out ventilator.
• Given calming medication, which caused a bad reaction, so sedated in a paralytic state.
• Developed viral pneumonia.
• Had two blood clots in one leg that required two surgeries. That foot died and was amputated.
• Developed an MRSA infection in lungs.
• Developed a bacterial infection in lungs.
• Port inserted above collar bone for kidney dialysis.
• Sibling was not awakening from sedation. Had a 1.5-hour MRI.
• Had a colonoscopy to determine why there was blood in stool.
• Bed sore developed on tail bone even with constantly being moved by medical staff.
• Finally had a tracheotomy as ventilator was removed from mouth and attached to trach port.
• Four blood transfusions during their time in hospital.
The morning the ventilator was turned off, death occurred in 15 minutes. Family and friends now in profound grief.
Get vaccinated!
Darlene Schmidt Burt, Seattle
Discussion about this post