INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — The pandemic continues to pose challenges to those that are immunocompromised.
One patient shared her story of survival with KSHB 41News, as well as a gesture to the team that guided her through her COVID-19 hospitalization.
Kim Bergman has an autoimmune disorder — an IgG deficiency in which she doesn’t make enough antibodies to fight off infections.
When the pandemic began, her family took extreme precautions.
"Even using Instacart instead of going to grocery stores, trying to avoid situations where social distancing is impossible," Bergman said.
Her husband Jason is a family physician and transitioned to telemedicine.
When vaccines became available, they got their shots and boosters, as well as their two kids.
Even after canceling holiday plans, things went south on Sunday, Jan. 2.
"Before I came to the ER that morning, my oxygen level was down to 78%, so it was pretty scary," Bergman said.
It took a toll on Jason Bergman, who’s seen his fair share of emergencies.
"It’s never the same when it’s your wife though," he said. "We’ve been in some pretty scary situations before."
Kim Bergman couldn’t see her kids — and Jason’s visits were short — but the staff at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence rallied to her side.
"They went above and beyond to make sure that I was just doing okay," she said. "Just to talk to me, just to sit down and talk for five minutes, so that I knew what was going on in the world and had a friendly smile to look at."
Kim was discharged after a six-day stay, and immediately wanted to pay it forward.
"We took up a big collection of snacks and goodies and this past Sunday on Chiefs day, we delivered all of those to the Emergency Room here at Centerpoint," she said.
Jason Bergman says that’s just what his wife does.
"She will be planning for what the kids will have for lunch while she’s going into the ER, here’s all the things that are in the fridge," he said. "This was just another little bit of magic she can bring to the hospital."
A small gesture, for a team that continues life-saving work.
"Those are the people that keep this community going," Jason Bergman said. "And they are the people that got my wife to be in the place where she needed to be."
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