My family has been shaken greatly by the coronavirus. My young, healthy husband spent six days in Winchester Medical Center after contracting the virus. My father-in-law was admitted to the hospital five days after my husband's release. He was also COVID-positive and needed care within the Intensive Care Unit, as he struggled with hypoxia. Throughout both of their stays, there was nothing but exceptional care every shift. The staff took their time to provide us with updates and calls when my husband and father-in-law were too weak or too tired. They comforted me as I cried on the phone. As a family member it was painful not to be at their sides.
Despite all the care, there was no moment that has impacted me more than one morning. The night before, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, who were both presumed positive for coronavirus, were at home trying their best to self-quarantine. My sister-in-law had complained for several days of worsening aches and pains. That night at 11:30 pm she overdosed after years of struggling with addiction. My husband and I rushed to the home, but even as the emergency medical crew left I knew in my heart that she was gone. The emergency room staff were able to revive her after some time, but she remained in critical condition.
There was little chance of her survival and I immediately thought of my father-in-law. He was sitting alone, isolated within the Intensive Care Unit on high-flow oxygen without any idea his daughter was even unwell. I spoke with his nurse and we agreed his oxygen status was too critical to tell him until we had further news. We all feared that he may become emotional and later need intubation. Keith McNeely was not my father-in-law's or my sister-in-law's primary nurse that shift. Instead, he was another patient's nurse on the unit.
Keith, if you did not know, is primarily a rapid response team nurse. He signed up to work within the COVID ICU because he felt it was his duty to his community and the patients at WMC. Keith has a history and prestige of being kind, thorough, detailed, and one of the best nurses to walk the halls of WMC. That morning proved just that.
As my sister-in-law's condition continued to decline, Keith was able to empathize with my father-in-law in a way most of us could not: as a father. He did not want a father to be unaware his daughter was actively dying just feet away. Keith took it upon himself to bear the burden and inform my father-in-law of what was going on. While the rest of us were fearful of how he would take the news, Keith was strong and resilient. He gave my father-in-law the opportunity that the rest of us could not have with the COVID isolation: to move to her bedside and see her one last time. This would have been a massive undertaking with the amount of oxygen he needed and the isolation precautions in place on the unit. My father-in-law agreed at that time he was not strong enough to do that alone, but I know if he had wanted to, Keith would have moved heaven and earth to make that happen. Instead, Keith gave something nurses do not always have a lot of during their shifts: Time. Time to comfort him with kind words and touch, time to recover from the news, time for his oxygen levels to stabilize on the high flow.
Even now we all have had the opportunity to mourn, but it hurts that we were not able to be with my father-in-law as he heard the news. It is comforting to know there are angels like Keith who walk the halls and always do what is best for their patients.
Note: This is Keith's 2nd DAISY Award!