Nearly 900 people spent Thanksgiving in St. Louis hospitals fighting COVID-19
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St. Louis, MO (KMOV) — Nearly 900 people were in St. Louis area hospitals battling COVID-19 on Thanksgiving Day. Nearly 200 of them were in intensive care units.
Latest data from the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force shows COVID-19 hospitalizations increased from 895 Wednesday to 897 Thursday, a new record high. This raised the seven-day moving average to 876, also a record a high. A total of 195 of those hospitalized were in ICUs.
Shelly Dunn is one of the hundreds in area hospitals struggling with COVID-19. The 66-year-old is on a breathing tube at SSM St. Joseph Hospital in St. Charles.
“It’s really frightening, I thought an asthma attack was frightening,” Dunn said. “Not being able to talk, that’s hard to do and to be sitting here by yourself. I mean the nurses and doctors are wonderful but without any family that can hold your hand and say ‘take slow deep breaths.'”
Dunn had asthma but said her breathing issues while fighting COVID-19 don’t compare. She said her progress fluctuates day by day. Dunn spent this Thanksgiving without her husband, three daughters, eight grandchildren and great grand baby. She looks forward to the day they’re reunited.
“I’m ecstatic. I can’t wait. But if it takes a month, it takes a month. But if it’s tomorrow, it’d be wonderful too. I’ve got a wonderful family,” Dunn said.
Leslee Wagner is a nurse at SSM St. Joseph Hospital and said her department is typically nearing capacity or completely full. Wagner said staff shortages are leaving doctors and nurses stretched thin. However, Wagner said she feels grateful for a career she loves even during a pandemic.
“I wouldn’t change it for the world even with this pandemic,” Wagner said. “It is definitely more challenging job working in health care during all of this but I really couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
Especially on a holiday, patients like Dunn are grateful for nurses and doctors; their selfless attitudes and the excellent care they provide.
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