COVID-19 Blog
Read their stories and share your story
After two long years of dealing with a pandemic, a few Genesis team members wrote blogs to document their experience. Their words are heartbreaking and inspiring.
We are eternally grateful for what our doctors, nurses, Genesis team members and community members have done to help us through COVID-19.
Read their stories below and submit your own story to share with our community.
02-23-2022
Misty, Middleport
My mother in law was very ill with COVID-19 and in desperate need of a critical care bed. It just so happened to fall into place that a bed was open at Genesis. After a 6 week stay in CCU requiring multiple procedures and and a lot of touch and go reports, I am happy to tell you that she is here by the grace of god and the skilled, compassionate hands that cared for her at Genesis. I cannot say enough good about the staff and their work flow. A special thank you to Brenda and Katie for all of their patience and explanations when calling with some pretty uncertain shift reports.
01-31-2022
C. B., Zanesville
Sometimes I wonder if a stranger knows how heavily their death will weigh upon me. Can they feel my touch? Hear me ask their name? Or are they on so much sedation they stopped noticing me? I can only give so many warm blankets, So many reassuring hand squeezes, I can only wet their lips so many times. I hug their mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters because they can't. Because the soft restraints are there to stop them from grabbing at the tube that keeps them alive. Because the continuous dialysis machine gets in the way. Because their too cold and the bear hugger keeps them warmer than even the most loving hugs could The continuous imaging gets in the way of being cradled by their husbands and wives, The tubes leaving their body frightens their grandchildren, And their children can only look at their ill parents for so long. Balloons, cards, photos, and flowers fill the room. We start hanging them on the wall because the table has run out of room. But, I come in for my next shift and their gone. The bed is remade as if I can't still imagine them in it. The room is sanitized and restocked. And the photos went home with the family. I look at their chart and stare at the word 'expired', and wonder what I did wrong. If I would have squeezed their hand harder, If I could have talked to them longer, I swear, I would have done a million things and I could have saved this ONE. I repeat myself for the third time. I saw my mom in her. I saw my dad in him. I saw my kid in them. I hope they heard me. I heard them. I wonder if they know how heavily their death weighed upon me.
01-12-2022
Peregrine O., Zanesville
We are currently in the largest medical crisis I have ever seen, and I'm both honored and humbled to be witness to the little (and large) fights towards life and healing I've seen patients and team members alike pushing towards. When families are grieving, I have the opportunity to be by their side and offer an ear to bend or a blanket if they need it. When miracles happen and I see patients come back from the edge, I am filled with joy and humility. Working at Genesis during the pandemic is the hardest and most rewarding experience I have ever had. When I can be there for others, I feel like I can take on anything no matter how tough or intimidating. Thank you to my amazing team and to the staff in the ER for pushing me to be my best and keep people safe, happy, and healthy. Without you, none of this would be possible. Stay awesome!
01-11-2022
Crystal L., Zanesville
The hardest thing for me with COVID was the inability to see my family. My children and grandchildren live in Pennsylvania which during COVID was as far away as the Moon. Zoom or face time do not replace a real hug. Even with my vaccinations I was terrified to visit for fear of what I might carry to them. I was fortunate to grab a quick visit but I pray every day for an end to this so we can ALL see our families near and far without the fear of what if....
01-10-2022
M.S., Zanesville
Working in community pharmacy during COVID-19 has been a daunting, yet heartwarming task. We have seen so many beloved patients, friends, and family members whose lives have been forever changed or who have been taken too soon. We have been tasked with the burden of immunizing the entire population, on top of our other daily tasks. Prescription volumes have exploded because it seems that everyone is sick. We have worked short-staffed for so long that we don't remember what full-staffed even feels like. We come face-to-face with sick people every day, while wearing our paper masks and just hoping they'll put on a mask without a fight. We have dealt with supply chain shortages, and worked endlessly to make sure people have their needed medications. We have watched as so many other medical personnel were praised and rewarded for their hard work, while so often our work is behind the scenes and goes unrecognized. At the end of the day, we try to focus on those who let us know that they appreciate the work we do. One man tells me, "You saved my life, and now you'll just have to deal with me" in a joking manner, then stops and looks me in the eyes and tells me again in a more serious tone, "Really, you saved my life." I'm not sure I did anything so heroic to deserve that praise, but it is a reminder to me to keep treating each person as a unique individual and to do the best I can to serve everyone I encounter. You really never know when you may be helping a person immeasurably just by doing what you do best.
Your COVID-19 story. In your words.
Have you or a loved been hospitalized due to COVID-19? If so, we encourage you to share your experience. How did COVID-19 impact the infected person’s health? Are there lingering side effects? How did this virus emotionally impact those involved?
Submit your story so your community can share in your experiences and so we can capture this moment in time for future generations.
