COVID-19 Humanity Betrayal ㅤ Memory Project

1/2/22 – Mark was found unresponsive at around 2am. When the ambulance came, Karen was asked where she would like Mark to be taken. Her suggestion was Pro Health Medical Group in Mukwonago, 8 1/2 miles away. Their response was that they could not take him to that hospital “due to the current snow storm” and that they would have to send him to Waukesha Memorial Hospital, which was 16 miles away.

1/2/22 – Progress notes on p. 403 – “If the patient MENTAL status declines, he may require activation of his HOPOA and intubation.” Jonathan Bodager 1/2 at 1519.

1/3/22 – Mark contacted Karen and Melissa with his cell phone, letting both of them know that he was told by Jonathan Bodager – Infectious Disease Specialist that if he didn’t agree to be vented and took a turn for the worse, he was going to die. Mark responded to Bodager by stating, “Do what you have to as a last resort.” He felt bullied into saying yes. Mark also notified us that he had not gotten food or liquid for 32 hours, at this point. When brought to Bodager’s attention, he stated it was too dangerous due to the CPAP machine. They would not want him to “inhale vomit.” When daughter Melissa asked why he was not provided with IV nutrition, Bodager stated he would enter an order for it. The nutrition did not show up in the records until 1/4, after being vented. He received no fluid/food/nutrition for 60 hours.

**Note Pages 571-575: Bilateral Wrist Restraints – Order Comments: “restraints to be discontinued when the BEHAVIOR that necessitated restraint is no longer present”

1/4/22 – Melissa received a text from Mark at 4:55am, asking when we “break him out.” At 7:10am, notes say his mask was off and he was blue. They caused leaking tubes, needing to perform CPR and 1 push of epinephrine at 7:41am. We found this information out through review of the medical records. We were informed that he was found unresponsive, needing CPR and then vented. No mention of the cuff leak issue, that could have very likely caused the double stroke that was found on his first MRI on 1/18.

Karen-Wife had to continue to work during this entire ordeal and the staff did show the slightest bit of empathy for the family. They insisted on 1 spokesperson, only which was impossible due to Karen’s need to continue to work. She was contacted, stating that Mark may not make it through the night and wanted approval to place him on the DNR list. Karen said that she needed to discuss this with the family. Bodager contacted Melissa, letting her know that Mark may not make it through the night. No one in the family gave permission to place Mark on DNR. Bodager never contacted the POA – Karen Pfeffer again, to discuss the final decision on DNR. Later that evening we called and asked if Mark was placed on DNR and found out that he was. Karen told them that she never authorized for them to place him on DNR and insisted that they change the status. They stopped what little care they were originally giving him.

1/19/22 – The Chaplain contacted Karen, asking for permission to pray over Mark. Karen asked the Chaplain to pray for her because she had not seen her husband in the last 2 1/2 weeks. The Chaplain was sympathetic and made a call with allowed the family to see Mark at the very end. Karen received a call from the Patient Advocate, asking who would be coming into the hospital to say their last good-byes. Karen explained that it would be herself, her daughter Melissa, her daughter Rebecca and grand-daughter Alicia. When Alicia was mentioned, Karen was told that Alicia would not be allowed into the hospital because at some point she had made a nurse uncomfortable with questions that were asked, pertaining to her grandfather’s care. If she showed up, security would be escorting her out. Upon arrival, all 3 of us were escorted and questioned by the Security guard, to ensure Alicia was not in the building, to say good-bye to her grandfather.

We experienced so much gas-lighting. One day they would tell us he was improving – numbers getting better, and the next day we would be told that he may not make it through the evening.