94: Maribel Colon

Nursing Associate, St Joe’s Emergency Room

Maribel’s responsibilities in the ER were many and varied, such as drawing blood, hooking up EKG and other monitors, and generally assisting the nursing staff with their many duties.

Once the pandemic hit, the patient load first dropped off. She believes it was due to people being afraid of coming in and catching the virus. Then the first COVID patient was admitted. Infectious Control precautions provided extensive care to not allow the virus to spread out of that patient’s room. “The fear was as thick as a fog.” Everything from paper, pens, computers, clothing, even jewelry were either sanitized or not allowed in the room at all. She recalls assisting the first nurse to prepare for entering that room. It was a scary time.

It wasn’t long after that, that most of the patients coming in were infected with COVID. Even those who weren’t infected had to be treated with the care as if they were, so as to not catch it or spread it. It was very difficult and physically draining. To treat patients, Maribel would wear a bonnet head covering, an N95 mask with a surgical mask over it, then a face shield over that, as well as an isolation gown and booties. Yet she says about her ER co-workers, “They all did it. As a team we bore the discomfort in hopes to revive patients who were coded.” She adds, “My being here isn’t about me. It’s about us, the Emergency Room Staff.”

In a very short time three of her co-workers passed away. She asked me to mention their names: Mark Kulp, an EMT and Firefighter passed away from COVID. Tracey Evans, a Nurse Navigator was diagnosed with cancer during the pandemic and Tabita Moots, a Nurse Navigator also with cancer. All were dedicated and hard-working to the very end, as well as loved by so many. She says, “COVID had no consideration for the dead or those mourning. We had to move on and do the best we could.”

She realizes now that life is short and wants to find avenues and ways to accomplish things she wants to do.