Brian and Maggie got Covid when their son returned with it from church camp. Although Maggie was sicker, Brian ended up having to go to the hospital. They went to Methodist first and it was packed. Although his oxygen saturation was in the 70’s, the ER told him to go sit and wait in the waiting room. He told his wife he thought he was going to die in the waiting room, so they went to St Michaels instead. That hospital however was not equipped to manage Covid patients for very long and they transferred Brian to their only choice, Memorial Herman. Brian was immediately given remdesivir and like so many others, it only made him worse. Maggie was isolated from her husband for thirty days, so Brian was on his own to understand and to consent to the hospital’s treatment plan. That is difficult however when you are oxygen deprived, on many mind-altering medications and feel terrible.

On August 5^th, the doctor said by next week Brian could be going home. There was a distinct pattern that Brian would do well during the week but every weekend he would decline and get worse. Maggie found out that he was not even getting fed on the weekends or given water. Maggie continued to beg the hospital to try other medications and treatments. They kept refusing. Brian soon developed kidney failure and diabetes, a common side effect of remdesivir. When she was finally let in to see him, she noticed bruises all over his face. When she asked what they were from, she learned that they had not turned him like they were supposed to. One thing Maggie knows is that Brian did not want to be ventilated but on September 3^rd, the incubated him. She would call every night and have them hold the phone up to his ear. She noticed when she was there or he could hear her voice or some of his family’s or friend’s voices, his numbers would improve but when he was alone, they would go back down.

Finally, the doctor told Maggie he was going to die on the ventilator so on September 7^th, she told them to turn off the machine. After quite a fight, her and her kids were able to go up and say goodbye to their husband and dad.

Why won’t the hospitals allow other treatments? Why won’t they try anything they can to save a 56-year-old man’s life? This is question so many have, and we will do our best to get those answers.

Rest in Peace Brian, you will be missed and did not deserve this.