Last week my husband and I helped a special person in dire need of care. While protecting his privacy, it came to my attention that he needed help and was dying in his home. This is NO exaggeration. Everyone failed him. I saw him often but not since Thanksgiving and feel guilty that I had no idea he was in such a state or I would have done something sooner.
Through persistence, I convinced him to go to the emergency room. He trusts me, and I was able to get his doctor's information and better understand the tragedy of this poor man. He is a proud man, and it took quite a few long conversations, but thankfully he agreed, and we called 911, and he was brought to a hospital.
What I thought was a horrible injury turned into a very aggressive, relentless, fucking inferno of advanced cancer that was killing him. At the same time, he suffered alone, with no help, worse than an animal.
Initially, he was very confused about the terrible news that he got. Of course, I checked myself to ensure that what he told me was accurate. I was hoping he had got it wrong. He didn't, and in fact, at this point, he is sharp as a tack and clear as a bell. He is a good man from a good family. A hard-working family that has just had a lot of shit luck since I've come to know them. He comes from lines of strength. His father was a WW2 vet that passed away, bringing wood into his kitchen at 88 years old. His mom also passed away from lousy cancer.
He had nothing but always was willing to help others. Life just was always throwing him curveballs every goddam inning.
Now, my friend has minimal time on this earth. Maybe two weeks, and because of covid hospital vaccine mandates, he will likely die alone. His only visitors are hospital staff. This is not right. This is not humane.
Nurses across America have already declared that many of these restrictions are causing a significant strain on their roles. If family members, caregivers, and advocates can't visit because they do not have a vaccine card, not only does the patient suffer, but mistakes are more likely to happen and do. I know this very personally because I lived it, and it has only gotten worse, not better.
For example, like it or not, when you are visiting a very sick loved one, you are an extension of the healthcare staff just by being there. The only difference is you are not on hospital payroll.
If you see something wrong, you say something. If your family member or friend needs something and has waited a long time, you go to the nursing station and ask. If they have breakthrough pain or other symptoms and can't advocate for themselves, you do it for them. If you see a mistake, you are there to help.
But now, due to corporate hospital policy and the rejection of natural immunity, you can't visit. The only workaround is to get tested again every 72 hours. So that is what I'll do. The hospital states it will make exceptions for a grave and imminent death, but they were asked and said, NO. For the record, I have had had COVID twice. I was tested recently for the antibodies and have them. My doctor said the number was better than the vaccine, but there is no money in that, so we are forbidden to talk about it. It is a taboo topic.
I am not sure how many people have had this experience, but I am guessing it is more than we would like to admit. I think this is my punishment for not getting an experimental vaccine. I've been punished before, I can take it, but I will tell you that is it fucking unethical. I would never knowingly put another person at risk. I'll follow the masking protocol, and perhaps I'll get a frequent shopper card at the PCR testing site. Is it buy ten get the 11th free?
Who makes the PCR and rapid testing? While the government says it is free, it costs the taxpayers $50.00 per test. Who is making that money? The manufacturers and the stockholders.
In my opinion, this is one of the most unethical things I have ever witnessed in all my years. The patient has lost the right to die with dignity and surrounded by those that care about them. I know some will say just get the damn vaccine and stop bitching. We are up to 3 now, per Dr. Fauci, and the number will continue to climb. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/584943-fauci-when-not-if-definition-of-fully-vaccinated-will-change
I'm well studied and pay attention to Vaers. Perhaps I'm just lucky, or some will say ignorant, but I'll go ahead and wait while the goalposts keep moving and some of the highest vaccination rate states are having covid surges.
This blog isn't about politics; it is about humanity. I'm afraid we have lost our way to the powers that be, and I'm fearful of the future. So, I will keep advocating for my friend. I'll try my best to help him cope with his journey to the other side to join his parents. I'm not going to let bureaucracy get in my way when the lawmakers and corporate interests are responsible for failing this man.
We have lost all rights in America today when one of its most vulnerable citizens gets robbed of his dignity at such a critical time in life - death!