Basic ICU - Covid - 19 patient supplies

My name is Carolina and last month (March 2021) was the worst month of my life…

On March 11, my oldest sister tested positive for COVID 19…then everything started like a domino effect…. 3 days after my mother was taken to the hospital by ambulance, and 2 days after my other sister… My father also tested positive, but he refused to go to the hospital. My nephew had to take care of him, and it was totally distressing seeing how he was getting bad every day. 

Then my brother, nieces and nephews all got sick. In total they were 11 sick people. We do not know how it happened, there were no parties, large gatherings, or celebrations together to blame…. My mom was on the covid floor at the hospital for 10 days, and she had to spend her last birthday with a nurse. She died on 24th of March.

One day before, on 23rd of March, my father finally accepted to be taken to the hospital, and my brother also was hospitalized due his low oxygen levels…My father died 7 days later while my brother was in the ICU. Due to their isolation my father nor my brother were not aware of my mom’s death.

The same day (23 of March) my sister was released from the hospital. One of the few positive events. She is still in rehab as of writing this but doing well and my brother 1 month later is out of the hospital.

While my brother was in the hospital ICU he was connected to a ventilator for 9 days.

Patients in an ICU require adult diapers, creams to deal with the dryness on different parts of their bodies including feet, back, and lips. Lying in a bed for so many days without moving can be hard on our body unfortunately most health insurances in Colombia do not cover or provide these basic items (diapers and creams).

My brother’s insurance did not cover the adult diapers and body creams, meaning the hospital did not supply them during his stay. Our family had to buy them and have them delivered to the hospital for his use.

This experience made us realize that there were many others who did not have the resources (money) nor the family to purchase and deliver the same items.   

I started this Go Fund Me campaign to try and help other ICU patients in Colombian hospitals meet these basic needs. Being in an ICU with Covid-19 is a very lonely experience as you are immediately cut off from the world. The pandemic has hit Colombia hard in this current wave and for any family to have to decide between buying food or purchasing ICU supplies for a loved one is tragic.


How can you help?

By, making a donation of USD $16 or more that will go to purchasing Adult Diapers and Body Creams for ICU patients with Covid-19 in Colombian hospitals.

Since few insurances in Colombia cover diapers and creams, a package of diapers can cost USD $12 and the body creams USD $4. You may think it is not that expensive, but it is for people who must live with a minimum monthly salary (US$ 247) or less.

 
Thank You

I almost lost my entire family, I lost my parents in just one week, and I perfectly know about pain and the feeling about desperation praying for someone fighting for their life, in an ICU with Covid-19.

This pandemic has taught me many things, and one of them is about EMPHATY, and empathy does not mean anything if we do nothing. I am asking you to help me to make this difficult time for these families a little bit less stressful.

Again, the money collected for this Go Fund Me campaign will be used to buy diapers and creams for people in hospital ICUs in Colombia. I am looking to help as many families as possible, with your support.