Support for Brita's Covid Care & Transport

My sister Brita, a Covid-ICU travel nurse and our family's health care hero, is in critical condition with a breakthrough case of Covid.  Unfortunately, as is the case with many travel nurses, Brita often had gaps of insurance coverage between her assignments.  This fund will help ease the financial burden of treatment and expenses during her illness and rehab, as well as the very expensive cost of the critical care air transport to get her to Duluth, MN. 

Brita was in Arkansas, en route to a nursing assignment, informed of a possible exposure, and tested positive for Covid. After 10 days of quarantining she sought emergency help and was admitted to the ICU where she received treatment and oxygen support. She was trying so hard to avoid intubation, but after a week of struggling on the bipap, on Tuesday her oxygenation worsened and she had to be intubated.

While she was able, Brita communicated she needed and wanted to be in Duluth to be closer to home and treated by providers and a system she knew and trusted. As it was, there were no additional beds in Arkansas or surrounding areas. After intubation a bed became available at Essentia in Duluth, where Brita worked for many years. It was literally a fire drill to secure critical care air transport to make sure it happened. She arrived early Wednesday morning and is now in stable condition in the ICU at Essentia in Duluth.

It has been absolutely heartbreaking to see my sister suffer with Covid. I was able to speak with her via videochat just before she was intubated, a call I will never forget - through tears behind a mask and machines beeping away, telling me how scared she was and not ready to die. It is absolutely terrifying that an otherwise healthy, vaccinated person can fall to Covid.

Although she is sick, sedated and on a ventilator, she has made many improvements in just the few days she's been there. Her labs and oxygenation are improving, a good sign her lungs are healing, and we are praying for the best. We are in contact with her doctor and nurses daily but the road to healing for Covid patients is a long one.  She is young (50), strong and determined and has much to live for and much life to live.

Thank you for considering a donation to help.  As a side note, Brita is a very private and independent person.  I'm hoping when she recovers she forgives us for asking for help so publicly on her behalf.  Even if you are unable to donate, please pray for her healing, strength and full recovery.