A husband and wife had come into the facility and initially were on the 1st floor with COVID. The staff was able to place the spouses in the same room together, as both were Spanish speaking and were not used to being apart. Unfortunately, their condition continued to decline. The decision was made to move each of them to the high-risk unit. Unfortunately, due to bed placement, the spouses were placed on opposite ends of the 14th floor.
Valeria had cared for the wife on multiple days, over the course of several weeks. As the adult children of the patients were in Mexico, Valeria and her team members used their personal phones so that What's App could connect them. Valeria is also a certified language assistant and was able to converse with the patient and connect on a deeper level.
Sadly, before Christmas, the husband began to decline and ultimately passed. The wife was unable to bear watching her husband take his final breaths, so while staff rotated in and out so that he wouldn't pass alone, Valeria tended to the wife. It was a devastating loss for the staff.
Valeria continued to care for the wife over the next weeks, and she appeared to be rallying. On the last day of her life, Valeria had helped bathe her and wash her hair, so that when she Facetimed with her children, she looked lovely. Valeria had no idea this would be the last conversation and last memory of their mother they would have. Later that day, the patient passed with Valeria at her side.
The staff of 14EW have experienced tremendous loss through the COVID pandemic. Yet, they have provided such comfort and grace to our patients that have lost their battle. This story is just one example of Valeria's tremendous heart and depth of compassion that she shows her patients every day. The story of this couple will be one that Valeria and the other staff carry with them, a poignant example of love and loss in our COVID journey.