Michelle DeMartino, a sign language interpreter, was fighting back tears on Thursday as she described losing both her father and her mother to COVID-19, within days of each other.
DeMartino said she was trying her best to continue her faith and educate people on the importance of vaccinations and masking. She spoke at the Thursday morning news conference at the University of Kansas Health System.
Her mother died Feb. 4 at age 66, and her father died Feb. 9 at age 69. Her father had had terminal cancer since 2009 and had been a resident of an assisted living home to help with his care for Alzheimer’s, according to Michelle. While there, he contracted COVID-19. Her mother, who had no pre-existing conditions, got COVID-19 before Christmas, and then developed pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital.
Although Michelle had been following the rules and wearing masks, most of their family developed COVID-19.
The tragedy, Michelle said, brought her family closer together, and they were able to lean on each other. KU Health System and the staff became her immediate family, too, she said.
“It’s affected us, but we realize life is too short,” Michelle said. “The whole family is trying to spread the word, how important it is to mask and get the vaccine.”
There are over 500,000 deaths in the United States from COVID-19, she said, and two of them are her parents. That’s 98 million too many COVID-19 cases and over 500,000 too many deaths, she added.
Michelle said people should just do their part, be united and come together in fighting the virus.
Greg Nawalanic, a psychologist, said people can cope with loss by finding meaning. Michelle said she came to see that the death, in the end, gave her parents peace.
By speaking out about the importance of wearing masks and getting vaccinations, Michelle was taking on purpose, having a drive and mission to carry on her parents’ legacy, he said.
Losing a loved one, he said, is like holding up a mirror. Life can seem fleeting and tomorrow is not a guarantee, he said. People ask themselves if they are living actively, doing everything they can, or passively letting life steer them.
Living a better, more purposeful life, is the best gift you can give loved ones who have died and also yourself, he said.
It used to be that people were told to let it go after a person died, but that has changed, he said. Now people are encouraged to maintain and modify the relationship they had with the loved one who died. Carrying her mother’s rosary with her, Michelle feels that her mother is still with her, he said.
“Death ends a life, not a relationship,” he said. “It’s important to keep that connection.”
The illnesses and deaths came out of nowhere for Michelle and just devastated her life, he said. It was upsetting because Michelle was someone who took COVID-19 seriously, he added. “Even for folks who take it seriously, it can creep up and snakebite you,” he said.
Michelle was doing everything right, wearing masks and socially distancing from her parents. They were communicating online.
Michelle advised people to wear a mask when they visit their parents, as it could prevent illness.
Nawalanic said many people are tired of masking and distancing and want to stop it, but if they stay diligent, continue to wear masks, distance and get their vaccinations, they will be rewarded.
COVID-19 case numbers reported
Doctors at KU Health System reported a decrease in COVID-19 patients on Thursday morning.
The total number of COVID-19 active and recovering COVID-19 patients at the University of Kansas Health System was 54 on Thursday, down six from Wednesday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were 24 active COVID-19 patients in the hospital, a decrease of three from Wednesday. Eight of those patients were in the intensive care unit, an increase of one from Wednesday. Six of those were on ventilators, an increase of one since Wednesday. There were another 30 patients hospitalized because of COVID-19 who were out of the acute phase, a decrease of three since Wednesday.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of 21 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, Feb. 25, according to the Unified Government’s COVID-19 webpage. There were a cumulative 17,550 cases. There was a cumulative total of 265 deaths reported, the same number as Wednesday.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 154,228 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 96.
The state of Kansas reported 292,837 COVID-19 cases statewide on Wednesday, an increase of 1,122 cases since Monday, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. There were an additional 81 deaths reported, with a cumulative total of 4,724.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday night reported 28,334,981 cases in the United States, with 505,808 total deaths nationwide.
COVID-19 tests scheduled Friday
The Pierson Community Center COVID-19 testing site at 831 S. 55th is open at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 26. Appointments are required, check with the website, www.gogettested.com/Kansas, for appointments.
Unified Government COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites are scheduled to be open on Friday. Those seeking vaccinations need to have an appointment, while those seeking COVID-19 testing may walk in and get a test kit.
The Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will be open Friday, Feb. 26, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are not needed for COVID-19 tests there on Friday. To see if there is any change to the schedule, visit https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
The Health Department is offering saliva COVID-19 tests to the public.
Tests from the Health Department are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County.
The tests are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.
Wyandotte County residents who are interested in getting a COVID-19 vaccine may fill out a survey form at the UG Health Department at https://us.openforms.com/Form/2f2bcc68-3b6a-450b-9007-d39819db6572. Residents will be contacted to make an appointment when vaccine becomes available. The Health Department currently is vaccinating high-contact critical workers, as well as residents over 65.
Testing sites are at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.
Saliva testing is now offered at the UG Health Department. For more information, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/02042021-ugphd-saliva-testing-available.pdf.
The KU doctors’ news conference is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/1333511520359441
The University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 update page is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/806512689941175.
For more information about how Wyandotte County residents over 85 can get a vaccine at the Health Department site, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/02032021_wycovaccinationsage85.pdf.
Vaccine data for the state of Kansas is at https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data.
Cards and letters of encouragement for caregivers at KU Health System may be sent to Share Joy, care of Patient Relations, 4000 Cambridge St., Mailstop 1021, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160. Emails can be sent to [email protected].
Wyandotte County is under a mandatory mask and social distancing order.
The UG COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.
The KDHE’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.
The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.
The Wyandotte County page on the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 website is at https://bao.arcgis.com/covid-19/jhu/county/20209.html.
The Johns Hopkins Data in Motion, a presentation on critical COVID-19 data in the past 24 hours, is at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/covid-19-daily-video.