My name is Wendy Teague. I am fundraising for myself.

Here’s the short answer to what has happened to me since the beginning of February.

I was really sick. The last time I was truly aware of everything was January 28, which I was looking forward to because it was my ten years sober “birthday.”This was a huge milestone for me in my recovery. I didn’t even feel up to going out for lunch or dinner, get a tattoo or anything. I didn’t even want to order food for delivery.

After that, I kept getting more ill. I took meds for pain and nausea, and I stayed in bed. I continued getting sicker until I woke up one morning sweating so heavily that it felt like it was pouring out in sheets. I had awful belly pain (worse than ever), so I made my way to the bathroom. I passed nothing but a lot of blood. Chris was out of the house doing a little shopping. I called him to let him know I was calling 911. Once I was inside the ambulance I remained conscious long enough to make sure that I did NOT get taken to Kings County Hospital, but to SUNY

Downstate. After this, I was in and of consciousness for the ten or 15 minutes until we reached the hospital.

I regained consciousness in the ER during triage long enough to answer a few questions about symptoms and allergies, ask why I was sweating so much, and beg for pain medication. I don’t remember if I even got the medication. I lost consciousness for several weeks.

My story from here until the middle of March is pieced together by surgical team, Chris, and some of the nurses/ hospital staff.

Apparently, I had caught COVID. I’m not sure how because I rarely went outside, but my immune system was completely compromised.

According to the surgeon, nearly all of my small intestines had died and gone septic. My large intestine was less affected, but I lost some of it, too. I had to be intubated “several times,” so they performed a tracheostomy and put me on a ventilator (She said she performed six surgeries on my bowels and one to place the tracheostomy)When she opened me up the first three times, she nearly gave up and closed saying there’s no hope. The first time, though, as she was about to close, she saw a peek of some bowels moving. She saw that as determination and strong will to live. She decided to try. The second and third surgeries showed signs of improvement, but I was still in a touch and go state. After the first surgery (emergency surgery, so I’m sure it wasn’t long after arrival)

An incredible team of doctors went to work to keep me alive. My chances were slim, but they were determined. I was intubated multiple times and placed on a ventilator.

I was put in an induced coma for 3 weeks. The surgeon had to leave my belly open. I remember snips of things and had a lot of horrible hallucinations from that time and coming out of it. Since then, it switched to nightmares about getting it out of bed to use the restroom, then again about having to get back into the hospital and my bed.

Those lessened over time. I was put on psych meds to help me cope with the situation.

The vent went down to a neck vent. I was moved to a step down unit. The doctor closed my wound loosely, leaving spaces between the stitches for drainage. A few days later, she took out the tracheotomy tube, leaving the hole open to heal. She covered it with a loose bandage to keep any drainage cleared. I didn’t have problems with either.

Really, the worst part has been digesting food without a lot of difficulty and diarrhea.

Physical therapy is problem here. They’re simply too super short staffed!

I will be leaving the hospital sometime this week or next, at the latest. I have no idea how long I will have to stay at the rehab facility. Could be a month or more there. I now require very expensive vitamins and supplements, plus the bills that are piling up because I am not doing my part.

I really appreciate any help you could give.