Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 4, 2021

Hawaii was almost in sight for Lillian and John Wheeler. The Dalton Gardens couple was 72 hours away from digging their bare feet into sandy beaches and toasting cocktails in coconuts in celebration of their 20 th wedding anniversary later in the year. Instead of a tropical getaway, though, the Wheelers found themselves staying at Kootenai Health after they and their son contracted COVID-19. “My husband got the fever, my son got the fever and then I got the fever,” Lillian said. “My husband and I also got pneumonia, so we had to be admitted.” John was discharged in three days, sure his wife would soon follow. “He was saying to himself, ‘She’ll be out in a couple days,’” Lillian said. “He thought I would be coming out that weekend, but my oxygen level wasn’t increasing like it should have.” Optimistic fromdayone A couple of days turned into a little more than three weeks for Lillian, who stayed optimistic from the start. “I called it my ‘Kootenai Hilton,’” she said. “At first, John and I were both in the same room and seeing the view of Shari’s and Shopko. At least we could see society working outside.” When Lillian didn’t improve, she was placed on oxygen and was moved to the intensive care unit (ICU). She was told the ICU was best suited to care for her needs at that time. It was good thinking on the part of Lillian’s care team. A nurse was just outside the bathroom door in the wee hours one morning when Lillian fainted. “I blacked out,” she said. “I had a collapsed lung. I did not know that. The next thing I knew, I was in the bed.” Pulmonologist David York, M.D., just happened to be walking by her room when she fell. “He knew exactly what to do and what had happened,” Lillian said. “I thank God that He had His hand on me and on the workers of the hospital to move me where I needed to be. It was a God-appointed time for that person to be in the right place at the right time.” Ashoulder to leanon In the 22 days Lillian spent in the COVID-19 unit, she befriended another female patient with whom she shared gifts, paper flowers and pictures sent by her family. A Sweetheart in the COVID-19 Isolation Unit ‘A lot of warmth and love’ during 22 days in the hospital By Devin Weeks 8