Frankie's Covid Fight

May 30, 2015, was the day Frankie and I got married, but our love story had started over a decade before. We were only 19 and 24 when we met. I was a waitress at Applebee’s in the Staten Island Mall - he was one of my regular customers that would come with his group of friends for Monday night football. After months of him ordering a porterhouse steak - medium rare with mashed potatoes and broccoli - we finally exchanged numbers. That was after leaving me a $100 tip of course. We dated for a short time, but decided to go our separate ways. After a decade we reconnected by chance through Facebook. We finally met up for dinner on November 23, 2013, at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Weehawken. That was the day that magic happened and life as I knew it would never be the same. We literally fell in love that night, and afterwards, spent every single day together. As crazy as it may have seemed to many people, we were very sure about each other. We embarked on a journey called “life” together, and boy, did we have a blast! Aside from being husband and wife, we did everything together from doctors’ appointments, to running errands, to working together at the restaurants, and raising our 3 boys. He treated me not like a princess, but more like a queen. All of that would come to a life-shattering stop. January 24th Frankie turned 42 years old. Five days later, he tested positive for COVID19. I had no idea that in 2 months’ time my sweet angel - my knight in shining armor - my prince charming – would be ripped out of my life and the lives of our 3 children. On March 30, 2021, we lost Frankie. You never for one second think that the person that fulfills you will be snatched from you. We were not ready for this - we were not ready to be separated and to have our family ripped apart. We were supposed to grow old together. Frankie also passed away with no life insurance because again, he was only 42. I will forever be haunted by the fear in his eyes as Frankie realized he was in trouble. After being home in quarantine for 2 weeks, taking Tylenol every 4 hours with cold towels to control his fever, and a round of COVID medications, Frankie took a turn for the worse. Monday February 8th, I had to rush him to the ER. He was starting to turn blue – he was struggling to breathe. I didn’t know that it would be the last time we would be together. Frankie would never make it back home. We found out quickly that he had pneumonia – viral pneumonia from COVID19. With no cure, the virus ravaged his lungs. Valentine’s Day was the last day I spoke to and saw my sweet angel via FaceTime. He was put on a ventilator, and 3 days later he was airlifted to a Pennsylvania hospital. Two days later he had his first of 4 visits to the OR. He was having a cannula placed in his jugular to filter his blood through an ECMO machine (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, is a therapy that adds oxygen to your loved one’s blood and pumps it through their body like the heart. The process takes place outside the body). According to the doctors, Frankie’s lungs were so inflamed, no oxygen could get in, that the ECMO machine was the only way he would have a chance of survival. There was no other option. This was it. However, ECMO is also a harsh process on the body. Bleeding and clotting issues are already common, and now COVID added another layer. His body wasn’t producing plasma which is what allows our blood to clot. Therefore, he bled and bled. A few days later, Frankie had his second visit to the OR where he underwent a tracheotomy. That also came with complications due to excessive bleeding. His final visit to the OR he experienced cardiac arrest. After a few minutes of CPR, they got his heartbeat back. However, as bad as every phone call was, we always held strongly onto our hope and faith that Frankie would pull through and recover. Sadly, after 7 weeks in the hospital, weeks of being hooked up to machines, my sweet angel’s heart stopped beating. His body had enough. My sweet angel – there are just no words. There will never be words to describe the ache in my heart. I love you so very much. The kids and I miss you more than you will ever know. Help me be strong like you - guide me my love. This is our story and I will finish for us here what we started. I know that our love is strong and we have a relationship like no other. Every day I think about the day that I will get to see you again. Just remember our wedding song - all of me, loves all of you. I am forever yours and you will be forever mine. Rest in Peace my sweet angel