On June 18, 2021, my mom, Kim Tharp Maginn, tested positive for Covid-19 (most likely the new Delta Variant given it's growing prevalence in the Central Arkansas Area). My sister and I were very concerned and stayed in constant contact with our mom while she managed her "flu like" symptoms at home for almost a week. On Thursday, June 24, 2021, Kim woke up very weak and unable to walk. She contacted my sister, Noelle Maginn Collier (who also lives in Little Rock), and told her to call an ambulance. When the paramedics arrived at her apartment, our mother's oxygen saturation was in the 70s, well below a normal value. She was rushed to a prominent hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas and admitted to the ICU. She was diagnosed with COVID pneumonia and sepsis and put on high flow oxygen (among other treatments). My sister notified me of our mother's decline in health early that day, and I immediately rushed to Little Rock from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Kim was able to battle the COVID pneumonia for several days on high flow supplemental oxygen and medications before her body became too tired, and she was put on a ventilator to help support her breathing on June 30th, 2021. The night shift ICU staff was kind and thoughtful enough to call me and let me FaceTime my mom before she was intubated. I was able to explain what was going to happen next during the intubation, give her reassuring words and comfort, and tell her that I loved her. I can't thank the ICU staff that night enough for allowing me that opportunity.

During the majority of her hospital stay, I was only allowed to visit my mom once a day for 15 minutes. I was "going it alone," because my sister and her family were also afflicted with COVID-19 via our mom, but thankfully they were able to quarantine at home and have since fully recovered. Because Kim was COVID positive, I was unable to go in her room and touch her, hug her, hold her hand, or physically DO anything for her. As a nurse with an ICU background, I can honestly say that was the most helpless I have ever felt in my entire life. In addition to the one 15 minute visit per day, I was allowed to call three times a day for updates from her nurses, and unfortunately it proved to be very difficult to get a physician on the phone. Thankfully nurses take care of their own, and I really felt that the nursing staff was nothing but kind and compassionate. I remained respectful of all the visitation restrictions till my mom had marked decline in her condition on the evening of Monday, July 5th, 2021. At that time I strongly requested/politely demanded (if you know me at all you can picture this and fill in the blanks for yourself) that both my sister AND I be allowed to visit our mother at the same time AND go in her room to be with her (wearing the correct PPE). This polite request was kindly honored as a "professional courtesy," and Noelle and I were able to be with our mom in a critical but calm atmosphere for our last time together with her. We will never be able to thank the nurses enough that helped advocate for us to be able to have that moment in time with our mother.

If you knew my mom at all you know how strong, stubborn, and sassy she was. She continued to fight for her life on the ventilator till it became apparent that her body was in fact not quite strong enough. She had acquired a secondary blood infection, her body quickly became septic, and it eventually succumbed to the secondary infection and the COVID virus a little before noon on Tuesday, July 6th, 2021. In the end, it was apparent that there was nothing more that the doctors and nurses could do for her and I made the very difficult decision to put her on comfort care. Thankfully, I was able to be in the room (again correct PPE) with my mom and hold her hand when the time came. I am grateful for this, because I know that there have been many families affected by COVID-19 that were not afforded this opportunity. I played calming music and talked to her as she passed away. I told her that my sister and I were going to be ok. I was able to ensure that she had a calm and dignified death with a loved one by her side. This is something that I have done for several of my patients when I worked in the ICU, and it was honestly the biggest honor of my life this far to able to do the same for my mother.

The average cost of an in-network, fully-insured patient hospitalized for Covid-19 is around $40,000.00 according to FairHealth.org. This does not take into account outside expenses, paying for everyday life expenses while you are in the hospital and unable to work, the cost of travel to/from Little Rock to be with her, and ultimately the cost of her cremation and memorial service.

Many of you have asked what you can do to help, please consider donating, and please feel free to share Kim's story. Every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated. <3

In Love and Gratitude,

Rachel Maginn Rosser

Noelle Maginn Collier

on behalf of Kim Tharp Maginn