Jackson respiratory therapist shares about NYC COVID-19 journey

Amber Morgan is exhausted -- physically and mentally.

The Jackson resident has been working in New York for the last two weeks as a respiratory therapist, providing life-saving treatment for COVID-19 patients in one of the country's biggest coronavirus hot spots.

Hired for a 21-day contract, Morgan said she ended her agreement after 14 days due to a doctor she worked with taking safety shortcuts. Morgan and her husband agreed before she left for New York that if there came a moment where she felt her safety or health was at risk, she would return home.

After a physician took a patient off a ventilator and left it running, resulting in potential transmission of infectious particles in the air while medical staff didn't have on proper personal protective equipment (PPE), Morgan knew it was time to head home.

On Monday, she was tested for the coronavirus and expects results on Tuesday.

In the meantime, her children are living with their father (Morgan's ex-husband) to avoid potential spread of the virus. Morgan and her husband are staying in separate bedrooms and using separate bathrooms until they know test results.

Amber Morgan wears a mask in New York City.Submitted

Morgan said over the two-week period they never ran out of ventilators, though not all the machines were created equal. Medical personnel had to make decisions about which patients would receive the best ventilators.

She extubated a handful of patients but intubated many others. During one 12-hour shift, she intubated a dozen patients.

There was also the mental trauma of deciding whom to help when multiple nurses called for a respiratory therapist at the same time.

While older patients and those with compromised immune systems are at higher risks for COVID-19, Morgan said she had patients range in age from their 20s to 60s. And two patients in their 30s either died or were near death by the time she ended her service.

Prior to this assignment, Morgan was a traveling respiratory therapist and, most recently, worked at St. Paul Lutheran School in Jackson. School is closed for now, but her hope is to return once it reopens and keep daytime hours so she can spend more time with her children.

Will she return to health care? As of today her answer is, "No." But she also hasn't closed the door, adding you never know what God has in store.

She's concerned that once the shelter-at-home orders are lifted, people will have a false sense of security and not realize the importance of maintaining social distancing.

"People are going to be free," Morgan said. "They're sick of staying at home, and I get that. They don't see [it]. It's hard because I've seen it firsthand. Did I believe it when I went? No. I did not believe that this was even as crazy it was."

Morgan said this experience has changed her, giving her more compassion for others.

A personal goal is to run the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1. If she can secure a spot, Morgan would raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, allowing people to pledge dollars toward her effort.

She's grateful for all the care packages that were sent to her. Packages that arrive in New York now that she is home will be put to good use, helping other health care workers still working at the hospital.

One Southeast Missouri transplant now residing in New York connected with Morgan at her New York hotel and gave her a care package.

Amber Morgan, right, accepts a care package from Southeast Missouri transplant Susan Tansil, left, at a New York City hotel.Submitted photo

"I am so thankful for her and everyone else that has been so kind to offer and do such sweet things for me," Morgan wrote in one Facebook post. "I greatly appreciate everyone for all your support through this. Thank you all so very much!"

I've known Morgan since college. Over the two-week period, I followed her Facebook profile where she wrote about her experience.

Clearly the emotions of the entire trip have culminated, and it's hard for her to fully grasp how many people she helped. Looking back, she feels like she was there more for moral support. But clearly she played a helpful role.

For those of us not in the health care industry, it's hard to understand the challenges many front-line workers face right now. Maybe the most good Amber Morgan will do is sharing her story, helping others understand the seriousness of the virus. That itself has the potential to save lives during the pandemic.

Lucas Presson is assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.