Kristen was our saving grace when we could not be with our loved one when he was in the Covid ICU. This was a very hard time, but especially difficult because we could not be at his bedside with him. Kristen took care of my husband like he was her family. She called me with any and every update, multiple times during her shift. I know she would stand in his room for hours caring for him because anytime I called a fellow nurse would tell me, "she’s in his room right now", and then connect me to her phone. She made me laugh when she told me he was having his “tummy time” when my husband was on his stomach to help his lungs breathe better, which was often. I remember her telling me with tears in her eyes on multiple days that “today wasn’t a good day” because he couldn’t tolerate the flipping to his back. So many times she Facetimed us so we could see my husband. She made sure he had his hair brushed, face washed, and was looking good for us when we saw him. I know she spent so many hours in his room caring for him and would forget about herself. She would be managing every drip possible to keep him alive. It truly felt like she was always by his side. My husband had a long journey in the hospital. We saw him go from bad to worse, saw him get a little better, but then, unfortunately, Covid took his life. Kristen was there from the very beginning and then she was there when we said our final goodbye. I truly believe God put her with my husband for a reason. When she Facetimed us for the last time so that we could say our final goodbyes, I saw the tears coming down her face. She kept repeating she was so sorry as if she thought she failed... but little does she know, I truly think because of her and her dedicated care, my husband would have passed much earlier on. She gave us more days with him. Kristen felt both our pain and our love for my husband. She truly was an angel as she cared for not only him but me and my son.
Kristen, you’re an extraordinary nurse, extremely intelligent, empathetic and so loving. You would make me laugh during those difficult times. You were open about your love for God and how you prayed for my husband so much, even when I knew you were going through your own hard times with your brother. Please know that we know how hard you fought for my husband and how many hours you put into keeping him alive. Your blood, sweat, and tears were never unnoticed. Your eyes spoke with so much emotion to me when we would Facetime, and you carried so much emotion for him, just like we did. Thank you again Kristen Fakes for truly being an angel sent from God to help care for my husband and for all Covid patients.