My mom’s last days were spent in a hospital in Topeka, Kan. She battled the disease for 30 days, alone. I remember the phone call and the deep helplessness that came over me when she first told me she was not feeling well.
A complex mix of emotions persisted: fear, sadness, anger, and guilt. I could not help her and protect her, the way she had always done for me.At the time, the COVID-19 death toll was more than 250,000 people across the United States.
I tried to be strong, knowing many more had survived, and yet I was gripped by the fear of what could happen.A few days later, my mom walked by herself into an emergency room.