Preparing for the Worst.

• Author: Myles-Clark, Marcy
• Position: Patient care

ANXIETY LEVELS have hit an all-time high during the pandemic, as most people had not planned or prepared for the unexpected consequences, thereby triggering overwhelming amounts of physical, emotional, and financial grief.

I experienced one of the most traumatic periods of my life when my husband contracted COVID-19 in March 2020. He spent 46 days fighting for his life, (including 28 days on a ventilator in a medically induced coma). Tee was isolated from our family due to the lockdown. He experienced several life-threatening episodes where I was told to prepare for the worst. Besides plenty of prayer, solid practical and financial resources during this period helped me keep peace of mind.

As a longtime family caregiver and pharmaceutical representative, I know the importance of having and leveraging relationships with physicians --and it was those relationships that helped save his life. Our pulmonologist urged and made arrangements for Tee to go to the ER for a cat scan of his lungs. It was determined that he was in lung failure and needed intubation. If Tee had to wait in the ER and navigate through the normal channels, he may not have survived.

Additionally, early on in the pandemic, COVID-19 testing and treatment only was available with a physician referral. This ended up being a detriment for many who did not have health insurance or a relationship with a physician to advocate for them.

As a life and health insurance consultant, I understand the importance of having both living and death insurances in place. Tee's illness was totally unexpected, and he was out of work for six months. Disability insurance (and personal savings) can be the key to survival in these situations.

Long-term care is necessary to ensure proper nursing care (in the home or in a facility) once someone becomes incapacitated and unable to help themselves without assistance. Both of these types of insurances can be extremely beneficial during sudden or chronic illnesses. COVID-19 had totally ravished my husband's body. For the first few months after his return...