My family lost a relative this week to what was most likely COVID. He collapsed in his home in Queens, NY. He was in his 80s. That afternoon his wife, feeling extremely unwell, called 911. The ambulance refused to pick her up, citing they needed “authorization.” Unclear what that

...meant. She called a car service instead. Once at the hospital, she tested positive for COVID. Her oxygen levels were still high, so even though she has a pacemaker, the hospital told her to go home.

She’s still there now monitoring her symptoms. They had both had symptoms for a while but resisted going to the hospital all this time. There will be no wake or funeral for her husband. My relative was a retired US postal worker in Queens NY.

There are a lot of reasons I am extremely sad and frustrated abt this, and these should be self-evident. I don’t want to unpack something deeply personal to make a point. It already feels complicated to share this on social media now. I’ve deleted several drafts of this thread.

I might delete this later. I just am extremely mad and frustrated watching this from afar. I am filled with grief. My whole family is mourning in isolation. This tweet isn’t to engage in conversation. I just don’t want this event, like many during this time, to exist in darkness.