I‘m not a medical professional nor am I medically trained. I went with Brian to most appointments for the past 10 years ‘til C-vid restrictions. I researched and read what doctors provided for his conditions and meds. For over three decades I worked the security side with criminal offenders. Training and experience determining inconsistencies and deception lead to skilled investigations. Difficult at times, encountering evil; it has prepared me for this very moment, a harsh reality.
My husband Brian passed on Fri, Sept 10, 21. Death Cert reads: COD "C-VID-Pneumonia." I can't prove otherwise, though taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Hospital Appleton, WI with blood sugar-34, temp-103.6, and positive test at ER for C-vid on Tues morning, Sept 7, his vitals were normal later that day-except for the ER Doctor calling to inform of Brian's admission, St E's staff didn't inform me of anything until "the call" Weds evening. I arrived within minutes of the ambulance.
When checking in, I informed that I tested positive "last week." The receptionist said the RN would determine if I could be with Brian and told me to sit in the waiting area. I sat over 70 mins only to be told "to leave immediately." Later, I dropped off necessities for him. We’d been through this many times there. Staff didn't make much effort to help Brian talk with family. The phone in his room didn't work, which I reported to Brian's RN and later his Dr. And, unless he was helped to a chair by the window (restricted to bed as fall risk), his cell had no reception. When I did speak with him, he was lucid and coherent, as much as before, though I was told he was "delirious and delusional". (Reasons the RN gave for this assessment: he couldn’t operate the phone and he made the comment, "I'm in jail." It was hard for Brian to use any phone and a reasonable person "confined" to a bed/room, would understand the "jail" analogy).
Tues evening Brian was positive and optimistic. With a temp of 98.1, he felt good. His breathing was normal. Weds morning, he ran a fever, but was normal before the doctor called me Weds evening to say Brian was "delusional from C-vid" and "going to die". (I already knew vitals were normal). I explained the "C-vid confusion" was caused by prescribed meds and wasn’t anything new. At one point, Brian took 50 pills a day and many had side effects. He became lazy in his speech, but I knew what was "normal". (Brian hadn't known the date since retiring. Signs to diagnose delusion weren’t abnormal). The Dr said, "Brian is worse today than yesterday", contradicting the vitals. He said, "His lungs are 90% filled with C-vid". I told him I wanted to speak with Brian, explaining phone issues. I said I wanted to come up to see him. He denied as I'd "tested positive". {On Aug 31, I went to Urgent Care for a work excuse. Based on symptoms the Dr ruled out C-vid and did not see need to test. Diagnosis: "acute on chronic GI symptoms." I’d been there several times with similar symptoms. On Friday, Sept 3, to return to work sooner (expecting a negative result), I took a C-vid test, stunned when it was positive. The Public Health RN cleared me for Sept 9.} He said Brian only had "a day or two to live". His "C-vid symptoms" were "going to be far worse by the following week." They "did all they could" for him. "Without the vaccine, Brian's going to die."
Three times I told him I wanted to speak with Brian and when he brought up the jab, I told him, "He has active C-vid, the vax will have no positive affect on him. I want to speak with him immediately!" I was crying, but calm. The Dr and later the RN, tried setting up a video chat. After my objections with both, the RN gave Brian her phone and stayed there; we had no privacy. Brian called me twice from his cell phone later that night, while sitting in a chair. He was lucid and coherent but concerned for his safety. I questioned him about his vitals and other things, testing what the Dr told me with what I heard from Brian. His vitals were normal. He said they kept questioning him about the "vax." I told him I'd work on getting him someplace else the next day. He didn't sound short-of-breath or winded. At 8:39a Thurs I called the nurse for vitals-normal range. At 10:46a, the doctor called saying Brian was much worse. He said, "Only the vaccine will save him."
Praying for wisdom I went to the hospital. "I'm Nancy Txx. I'm going to see my husband...Dr told me he’s dying." I kept walking to the 4th floor. I didn't know where I was going; I looked on the wall for room numbers and followed the signs. I passed an information desk; through two sets of closed wing doors; and two staff stations, each with 6-7 staff facing my direction. As I passed, it was as if I WAS INVISIBLE. I got to Brian's room, stood two feet from a man sitting on a stool at his door, as I gloved up and tried the handle on Brian's door. The man got up, turned away from me, then walked right by me. Again, it was as though he couldn't see me. I entered Brian's room. He sobbed "You are so beautiful." He knew I was there for him. He looked terrified. He told me he thought they were going to kill him for refusing the "vax" and because he thought "C-vid" was politicized. I told him the Dr said he was going to die, that I wasn’t going to let him die, alone. I sat in a chair in front so he could see me. He said, "Hide behind the door." I said, "They saw me walk in." He said, "At least cover the window so they can’t see in."
Brian's was an "observation" room, with a work area in front of his window. RNs were at that station looking in. Minutes later, two staff approached Brian's door asking me to step out. Not knowing if they would try to physically remove me, I exited the room, but held onto the door handle, to reenter the room if necessary. One said, "you need to leave." I said, "I'm not leaving him." I was told, "You can't be up here." I repeated "I'm not leaving. Brian isn't going to die alone." I was threatened with "calling Security." Calmly, I said "We have two options: I am going to stay here with my husband until he passes; or you can release him, and I'll take him home for whatever time he has left." They repeated; I repeated. I was told, "He's on oxygen and can't be released." I said, "People are on oxygen outside the hospital all the time. Does he not have the patient' right to refuse medical treatment? Do I not have the right, as his power of attorney to refuse treatment for him?"
I went back into the room. Brian said, "I want out of here." I said, "I might get arrested but I'm not leaving." I sat in a chair beside him holding his hand. He was perfectly "Brian", sound of mind as he ever was. A charge RN came in to review then provide me with a copy of the Visitor Policy. Politely thanking her for doing her job, I told her I wasn't leaving. She continued ‘til the Dr came. He informed me that they could not allow me to stay. I said, "You're not 'allowing' me to stay; I am calmly, defiantly disregarding your policy."
He said that Brian needed to stay in the hospital. I provided the two options, of which leaving alone wasn’t one. He said, "Only the vaccine can save Brian." An RN came in a short time later, suggesting hospice. We agreed; arrangements were made. Brian was required to undergo a "competency eval" without me there. He was ruled incompetent; I activated as POA. He came home Thurs evening and passed 24 hours later, very peacefully after the nurse left. Friday morning, the Dr called to ask about Brian. He said to me, "I need to tell you that you need to get vaccinated." I
In the ER Brian’s symptoms were described as moderate at worst and "improved" on 09/07/21. Disposition: Dr: "I believe the patient will be in the hospital for two midnights or more and expect to go home on discharge."
Brian started on Medicare almost a year before he died; he was very expensive to our system.
Appleton, WI