I wanted to share with you an example of the truly fantastic care being given by your providers battling the COVID-19 in the special ICU on the 5th floor of Audie Murphy Medical center. I took what I believed were prudent measures to prevent my getting COVID-19 but somehow, somewhere on one of the very limited trips I made outside my home just prior to quarantine, I caught this terrible disease.
At first, I couldn't believe it was the Coronavirus, allergens were particularly high, and I often get sinus headaches in the Spring but none of the medication I normally use for treatment nor even nasal flush seemed to help. When I started having difficulty breathing, I tried an inhaler, it did nothing for me. I called my primary care doctor and she directed me to report immediately to the emergency room. The screening was well set up and they expedited me to the emergency room. I received excellent care from the staff there and based upon my symptoms, I was admitted to the ICU on the 5th floor. It took a day or two for the results of the COVID-19 test to come back but unfortunately for me, it was positive, confirming my worst fears. They immediately transferred me to the special ICU set up for COVID-19 patients. The entire staff in that special ICU provided excellent care and truly showed compassion and professionalism throughout my 10-day hospitalization. However, there was one individual, a nurse who truly went above and beyond in caring for my well-being. Cynthia Jane Varela (CJ) dealt with me with exceptional compassion all throughout my treatment.
On day three, I mentioned to her that I had not been able to brush my teeth since I arrived, and it was really starting to bother me. She informed me that there were no personal hygiene items available. Normally, they were stocked by the hospital volunteers, but like all medical facilities, volunteers could no longer enter the facilities for their own safety. After her shift was complete, CJ drove to three separate stores trying to find toothpaste for me. As you know, there was a run on food and toiletries at the time as people were panic buying everything off the shelf. CJ eventually found a small tube of toothpaste for me and it felt so great to have clean teeth again. Some old friends of mine from college were able to get their hands on a case of the small tubes of toothpaste and offered to donate it to the hospital. The problem was they could not visit me or even approach the facility. Again, CJ went above and beyond meeting up with them to acquire this greatly needed dental hygiene product. I was going through one fever after another in addition to having difficulty breathing during my treatment in the ICU. I was taking sponge baths but after a couple of days, I found I could not maintain good hygiene because I was wearing the same undergarment I had worn when I came to the ER. I was having too much difficulty breathing to pack a small bag before I left the house, so I had nothing with me but the clothes on my back. Once again, CJ came to my rescue when her shift finished, she went to Walmart and bought me a three-pack of underwear at her own expense and would not let me pay her for that or the toothpaste. She is truly an exceptionally caring nurse provider and I'm amazed at how deeply she cares for her patients.
I wanted to share with you what an exceptional experience I had in my time battling COVID-19. Every single person who cared for me since I arrived at the medical center did so with professionalism and enthusiasm, but CJ cared enough to use her own personal time and money to ensure I was made as comfortable as possible during my stay. It has been just over six weeks now since I first entered that ICU. The home hospitalization program tested me for COVID-19 again one week ago and my test came back clear. This morning, I walked 7 miles my lungs were so clear. The VA has asked to follow me every year to study my recovery to see how to best treat other veterans. While I gave maximum effort in battling the disease, it was the excellence care that I received at Audie Murphy Medical Center that saved my life and pulled through with efficient, effective, compassionate care. As a former health services administrator, I was very impressed with the care I received during my treatment and with the follow-up care, I'm receiving.
Please convey my heartfelt thanks to the wonderful providers who risked their own lives saving mine and especially to CJ for her warm, thoughtful nursing care. You've got an exceptionally excellent staff there and I have shared with many people, how lucky I felt to have received my care for COVID-19 in the ICU at Audie Murphy Medical center.