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Its safe to say we all know someone who has experienced a tragedy or a loss associated with Covid 19. My family included, but my son Joaquin was hit especially hard.
Back in November of 2020 our whole family was diagnosed with Covid, but about the time when we thought everyone should be getting better, my son Joaquin wasn't. So (November 15, 2020) we made a decision to take him to the ER assuming he only needed IV fluids. My husband dropped him off at the ER entrance not being able to go in with him since we were all positive with Covid at the time. We waited at home for Joaquin to call to come pick him up. When the phone rang from the hospital we were expecting it to be Joaquin, but it was actually a physician from the ER. That was the moment our whole lives changed.
The Dr explained that Joaquin declined so rapidly, he went from needing fluids and oxygen to needing to be placed on a ventilator within a matter of hours. He required full ventilator support. He was being given the max amount of pressure and the max oxygen from the ventilator. We were devastated and beside ourselves with so many unexplainable emotions! Then started the waiting for the phone calls from the hospital with any updates on his condition. As a parent, your natural reaction is to race to their side especially after being told your child is dying and not being able to be there tears your heart out!
Not being able to be there is the absolute worst thing EVER!
We waited for the phone calls and the very precious facetimes. The ICU was a very busy place and sometimes we only got a few minutes on facetime with him. It takes your breath away the first sight of your child so sick and potentially dying.
He fought through so much in the weeks and months following from being proned (rotating from belly to back), high fevers (some as high as 104) and having to be packed with ice to control them, the loss of over 100 pounds, pancreatitis, heavy sedation and paralytics, a bilateral stroke, he had also broken his 3 front teeth on the ventilator tubing (despite the bite blocks in place) which led to the need to do a tracheostomy and feeding tube to free his face of the tubes.
In mid December, they also discovered an infection behind his right lung. The infection was between the lung and the ribs so to treat it they needed to do a chest tube. They had to do 2 bed side chest tubes and 2 different surgeries before the last one was successful in its placement to be able to drain it. His last surgery he was transferred to a new hospital to have a thoracic specialist do. He spent the month of January recovering from the trauma of all the chest tubes.
He spent Thanksgiving, his 26th birthday (December 19th we facetimed him and sang him Happy Birthday), Christmas, and New Years all in the hospital.
In January, he also developed C.diff from all the antibiotics he was having to take to battle the various infections he had throughout his time in the ICU. They also had to replace his feeding tube mid January due to it leaking.
Through this all, his dad has not left his side. As soon as we were given the green light to be there, he has been there through it all. He has been so incredibly strong for all of us! Trying to maintain a tough exterior all the while his heart breaking inside, stealing away to the bathroom to hide his tears.
But through a miracle of God my son Joaquin is now on the road to recovery and has been transferred to a Rehabilitation Hospital but this recovery will be a long one!! He has had to relearn how to swallow so he can eat, how to breath, how to speak, balance, how to sit up, how to walk, how to feed himself and how to do basic self care. The months spent in a hospital bed coupled with his strokes has substantially weakened him and he has major muscle atrophy. The rehab hospital has said it will be at least another month at inpatient therapy and then months of outpatient rehab as well.
We are asking for help in order to help Joaquin see his miracle of recovery through. We have depleted our personal savings and would never ask for help unless 100% necessary. The mounting bills of life, medical bills, medical equipment needed in order to bring him home in the future, a ramp, as well as the cost of restoring his teeth (due to the traumatic way they were broken oral surgery will be needed) as well as the cost of a partial. No amount is too small and any and everything will be greatly appreciated, even a share goes a long way! God Bless you and thank you all in advance!
Back in November of 2020 our whole family was diagnosed with Covid, but about the time when we thought everyone should be getting better, my son Joaquin wasn't. So (November 15, 2020) we made a decision to take him to the ER assuming he only needed IV fluids. My husband dropped him off at the ER entrance not being able to go in with him since we were all positive with Covid at the time. We waited at home for Joaquin to call to come pick him up. When the phone rang from the hospital we were expecting it to be Joaquin, but it was actually a physician from the ER. That was the moment our whole lives changed.
The Dr explained that Joaquin declined so rapidly, he went from needing fluids and oxygen to needing to be placed on a ventilator within a matter of hours. He required full ventilator support. He was being given the max amount of pressure and the max oxygen from the ventilator. We were devastated and beside ourselves with so many unexplainable emotions! Then started the waiting for the phone calls from the hospital with any updates on his condition. As a parent, your natural reaction is to race to their side especially after being told your child is dying and not being able to be there tears your heart out!
Not being able to be there is the absolute worst thing EVER!
We waited for the phone calls and the very precious facetimes. The ICU was a very busy place and sometimes we only got a few minutes on facetime with him. It takes your breath away the first sight of your child so sick and potentially dying.
He fought through so much in the weeks and months following from being proned (rotating from belly to back), high fevers (some as high as 104) and having to be packed with ice to control them, the loss of over 100 pounds, pancreatitis, heavy sedation and paralytics, a bilateral stroke, he had also broken his 3 front teeth on the ventilator tubing (despite the bite blocks in place) which led to the need to do a tracheostomy and feeding tube to free his face of the tubes.
In mid December, they also discovered an infection behind his right lung. The infection was between the lung and the ribs so to treat it they needed to do a chest tube. They had to do 2 bed side chest tubes and 2 different surgeries before the last one was successful in its placement to be able to drain it. His last surgery he was transferred to a new hospital to have a thoracic specialist do. He spent the month of January recovering from the trauma of all the chest tubes.
He spent Thanksgiving, his 26th birthday (December 19th we facetimed him and sang him Happy Birthday), Christmas, and New Years all in the hospital.
In January, he also developed C.diff from all the antibiotics he was having to take to battle the various infections he had throughout his time in the ICU. They also had to replace his feeding tube mid January due to it leaking.
Through this all, his dad has not left his side. As soon as we were given the green light to be there, he has been there through it all. He has been so incredibly strong for all of us! Trying to maintain a tough exterior all the while his heart breaking inside, stealing away to the bathroom to hide his tears.
But through a miracle of God my son Joaquin is now on the road to recovery and has been transferred to a Rehabilitation Hospital but this recovery will be a long one!! He has had to relearn how to swallow so he can eat, how to breath, how to speak, balance, how to sit up, how to walk, how to feed himself and how to do basic self care. The months spent in a hospital bed coupled with his strokes has substantially weakened him and he has major muscle atrophy. The rehab hospital has said it will be at least another month at inpatient therapy and then months of outpatient rehab as well.
We are asking for help in order to help Joaquin see his miracle of recovery through. We have depleted our personal savings and would never ask for help unless 100% necessary. The mounting bills of life, medical bills, medical equipment needed in order to bring him home in the future, a ramp, as well as the cost of restoring his teeth (due to the traumatic way they were broken oral surgery will be needed) as well as the cost of a partial. No amount is too small and any and everything will be greatly appreciated, even a share goes a long way! God Bless you and thank you all in advance!