HONOLULU — Hawai‘i Nua resident Tayna Nau described the agony of watching her previously-healthy husband, Lofa, suffer the crippling effects of COVID-19.
Her powerful message is part of the state Department of Health’s campaign that is set for broadcast on television and radio and will be placed in print, digital, social, and streaming platforms through December.
The series highlights COVID-19 survivors that “live with no regrets.”
From March to May, Nau said she observed her previously-healthy husband’s rapid decline.
Lofa spent seven and a half weeks in the hospital, and for a portion of the time he was admitted, he experienced a gradual decline.
“He’s the healthiest person I know, and just to watch (COVID-19) take him down the way it did was hard,” Nau said. “It went from ‘I just talked to you yesterday’ to ‘he needs life support’ — everything was failing so quickly. As a family member, that’s the hardest part.”
After Lofa received his chest X-ray at the hospital, it was a seven-week journey there.
“Things started to take a turn for the worse,” Lofa said. “I wasn’t able to breathe. That is when they decided to put me on a ventilator that night, and I didn’t wake up until May.”
Dr. Lucio “Leo” Pascua, who practices in Wahiawa, described the agony of being a COVID-19 survivor.
“After everything that I’ve been through, I wish people would be more patient and listen to science,” Pascua said.
After spending three weeks in a medically-induced coma, physician Sarah Bolles’s prognosis in her battle with COVID-19 was grim.
After a long battle, Bolles eventually recovered, and now hopes people listen to her short-but-powerful message to mask up.
Intensive care unit nurse Colene Geier, who has treated over 20 ICU patients, feels continuity is the key.
“You have to live with no regrets and keep your loved ones safe by wearing a mask and avoiding social gatherings,” Geier said. “I’m waiting on the day when we can all come together, and this is one way we are going to beat this.”
Longer videos of each survivor’s story are available at hawaiicovid19.com/survivors.
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Jason Blasco, reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or jblasco@thegardenisland.com.
