TAMPA (WSNN) – Nursing Homes and Long Term Care facilities are again allowing visitors. SNN’s Annette Gutierrez with a personal story about the impact on her family.
“I thought when she got the virus, she was definitely not going to make it,” Annette’s Dad and second son to Caridad Fernandez, Aramis Gutierrez said.
My 75-year-old grandmother, who we call ‘Abuela Caridad,’ has been through chemotherapy and survived lung cancer. She contracted the coronavirus and is staying at an assisted living facility here in Tampa.
Diagnosed with the coronavirus on the 4th of July weekend.
“She was in the hospital for 34 days and nobody was able to go and see her, that was hard,” Gutierrez said.
“I didn’t have anybody, and no one could help me talk to the nurse. It was very hard, very hard,” Abuela Caridad said.
She never went to the ICU and didn’t really have any symptoms. The only coronavirus affect? Lower oxygen levels. She was given convalescent plasma and put her on Remdesevir. Leaving the hospital after a month, still positive, but with no symptoms. So, she went to the Feels Like Home Assisted Living Facility in Tampa, where she quarantined for 14 days in her room before going into the living room.
While she wasn’t completely isolated anymore, Abuela Caridad says not seeing her family was difficult.
“My feelings are too difficult to express,” Abuela Caridad said while crying. “Because I feel like my children put me here and abandoned me,… I feel imprisoned.”
My family, doing the best they can to stay in touch.
“We always try to call her every time or every day to see how she is and make her feel better,” Gutierrez said.
But now, since Governor Ron DeSantis modified the visitation restrictions, we can see our grandmother again.
ALF Administrator Yailyn Rodriguez says she doesn’t know what to think.
“I’m kinda worried about the visitors.. what about if one of them come with the virus and some of them don’t have any symptoms,” Rodriguez said. “But I’m kinda happy too that they’re able to see the family.”
“I think it’s awesome because it’s uplifting for those of us in this situation,” Abuela Caridad said.
“We can go by there, she’s a lot happier, and I think that’s a lot of help for her,” Gutierrez said. “She’s delicate, but she’s a strong woman, I know she’s going to make it and I think everything is going to be well.”
The Feels Like Home Facility allows five visitors a day. Annette’s Grandmother is symptom-free at this time, but It’s not knows whether she still has the coronavirus. She will be retesting again soon. We’ll keep you updated on this personal story.