In December of 2021 my son, granddaughter, and I were diagnosed with Covid 19, it was Christmas day. We were in my house and stayed there during our illness. My husband, David F. Headley MD, took care of us. He was a hospitalist in Philadelphia and worked in the ICU with COVID-19 patients for many months.  He was known as the “hero” Everyone knew if Dave was there, you would be alright. 

Dave acquired COVID-19 in mid-January. He took time off from work to get well. I was quite ill but getting better.

Dave was ill for several weeks but was able to feel better off and on and work from home. In April, he was again diagnosed with covid. He continued to have symptoms, a cough, shortness of breath, and weakness. His condition was better, but he was short of breath. On May 2, 2022, he decided to go to the ED. He chose Virtua Health because he worked there for many years and thought “his friends, other physicians, would take care of him”. He said, “I just need oxygen and will be fine.” He went via ambulance because he knew they would have oxygen on board. As soon as I arrived at the ED, he was gone. They took him to a room. They asked me to give the employee his belongings and would give them to him. I could hear him in the other room calling me. They refused to let me in. I was very upset and so was he. I tried over and over to be let into his room in the ED, but they would not let me in. At this point, I had no choice but to leave. 

He was admitted to the hospital, put on O2, and moved to a room.  He was given remdesivir in the first 7 days he was admitted. It is stated in the chart that he refused Remdesivir and did not want any more. On May 15, the physician stated he was “5/15/2022 9:24 AM Oriented to person, place, and time. Well-developed and well-nourished. No distress” 

Then in less than an hour, on 5/15/2022 10:23 AM stated, “failure to oxygenate, failure to protect the airway, failure to ventilate, and predicted clinical deterioration. 

Patient status: Altered mental status” 

At some point, they began another round of Remdesivir while on the ventilator, this time for many days, up until close to his death. He began to go into Acute Renal Failure. The physician stated to continue Remdesivir anyway. I was very concerned, as he had stated he did not want it anymore, it is in his chart. His condition continued to deteriorate, and in the last few days, he was dying. I was still not allowed to see him. I received a phone call in the middle of the night, May 29, that he had had a heart attack and stopped breathing, he was given CPR, to no avail. The physician stated that he would not survive, he did not breathe for 18 minutes. I was finally allowed in for the last moments before they turned off the ventilator, and he died. The chart states that he had Acute Renal Failure, Heart Attack, as well as COVID and Respiratory Failure. 

I am devastated. I watched the most disgusting, devastating death I have ever seen. He did not deserve this. He was a physician who entered this hospital to get help from his “friends, who did not care about him or call me ever. The treatment this hero received is despicable. I pray that we can change this outcome for everyone in this position. I never thought as a medical professional I would ever witness such devastating care of a living, wonderful person.