I started directing my energy into what I could do.”

Barbara Reed

After taking her husband Matt Reed to the Memorial Hermann Katy hospital April 1 for inpatient care for COVID-19, Barbara Reed didn’t know when she would be able to see her husband next, let alone how they would celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary which was coming up this April 5. Matt’s stay in the hospital wasn’t a surprise after days of dealing with the disease, but it still rattled her, Barbara said.

“I knew to expect it, but when it actually happened, it’s just a shock,” she said.

The trip to the hospital was the latest event in a string of stressors that had first pushed the couple into quarantine with their dogs, Taco and Belle, on March 23. That was followed by a positive COVID-19 test for Matt on March 26.

Such a diagnosis was especially concerning in relation to Matt because he is asthmatic, one of the commonly referenced “underlying health conditions” in the COVID-19 pandemic’s narrative.

Eventually, after tracking Matt’s symptoms – including his pulse rate and blood pressure – Barbara called the hospital to ask what they should do as Matt’s pulse rate dipped, reflecting a drop in oxygen in Matt’s system.

Barbara called Memorial Hermann Katy and was instructed to bring Matt to the ER. She gathered his things – including copies of his insurance information, positive COVID-19 test, ID and other documents – and drove him to the ER.

“They took him right in and got him admitted right away,” she said.

Matt was whisked away and she was left to go home to Taco and Belle to quarantine on her own, not knowing if she herself was a carrier for the Novel Coronavirus.

Family members dropped off needed supplies on the back porch, including herbs and other plants to transplant into the back yard to keep her occupied, but Barbara kept thinking about the upcoming anniversary and how she just wanted to celebrate with Matt.

She was also concerned about Matt’s mental state as he was in the hospital and seemed depressed and lonely. Eventually, she came to a realization.

“I started directing my energy into what I could do,” Barbara said.

One of the things she realized is that she could do was find a way to celebrate Matt’s and her anniversary – and maybe cheer Matt up at the same time.

“I called (Twinkle Greetings) to hire them. I called them and I told them, ‘I know it’s late notice. This is my circumstances. Can you help me?’ They accommodated me right away,” Barbara said.

Barbara also called Steve Cooney, an administrator at Memorial Hermann Katy, who was able to help her coordinate permission to set up a display beneath Matt’s hospital window.

“Memorial Hermann Katy was amazing when I called and asked to do this,” she said.

Twinkle Greetings was able to set up a sign in the lawn at Memorial Hermann where Matt would be able to see it.

At 10 a.m. April 5, Barbara was out by the sign in her wedding dress with a sign that read, “You’re my lobster” a reference to a “Friends” episode where Phoebe discusses lobsters’ monogamy in their relationships.

Family and friends joined in as well – all while practicing social distancing. Even Taco and Belle were able to show Matt some love. Matt turned his attitude around almost immediately after – aided as well by the special dessert hospital staff got to him – angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream.

“In my opinion, his attitude from yesterday to today is a 180,” Barbara said by phone the afternoon of April 5. “Yesterday he was down. Today he’d showered and was wearing a regular T-shirt.”

Matt was released from the hospital April 7 after his symptoms became manageable enough for him to return home. Barbara said she is grateful to her family and the staff at Memorial Hermann for their support in what was a difficult situation, especially the hospital focusing on how they could help her support her husband.

“It wasn’t about the disease – it was about how can I do something nice for my husband,” Barbara said.

UPDATE FROM BARBARA APRIL 9:

Matt is on day 3 of his home recovery and must be fever-free for 14 days prior to getting a retest for the coronavirus that caused his illness. He is continuing to do respiratory exercises at home and his pulse and oxygen levels are monitored throughout the day.