By Debbie Moore-Black, RN

In this small town I live in, a funeral procession is a big deal. The hearse is followed by several black cars turning into an array of family and friends cars. All of them roll slowly and sadly to the final destination.

I knew all about this funeral.

A bright, college-educated woman. Six months pregnant. She had immense faith in God. God granted immunity from COVID. God would protect her from COVID. A vaccine would not be needed. The vaccine was government control — she thought.

Her symptoms started out as minimal. Sniffles to incessant coughing to shortness of breath, as she infected her three children.

But Shanice was hit the hardest. Her breathing was labored. Finally, 911 had to be called.

Family members rallied around the children to care for them while Shanice was rushed to the hospital.

Shanice was emergently intubated. The fetus in utero played havoc on Shanice’s vital organs.

One month in the ICU had passed. There was no progress. Her FiO2 was at 75 percent. She had only reduced her oxygenation of 100 percent to 75 percent in one month. Shanice was mechanically paralyzed.

The ICU nurses and physicians worked endlessly on yet another unvaccinated COVID victim.

After one month on the ventilator, Shanice was deteriorating. The workload on her lungs, her heart, her kidneys was taking its toll.

She would never survive with this fetus using up all of her oxygenation.

By C-section, the baby was taken. A baby girl. She was sent straight to NICU. Intubated also.

Two months had passed as Shanice lay in that ICU bed. On the ventilator without any glimmer of hope.

Her kidneys shut down. Dialysis was attempted but was futile. And then, the blood clots throughout her body and lodging into her brain. Neurological assessments validated that Shanice was brain dead.

The funeral. Her family and friends were gathered around the coffin.

Her three children. Staring down. Hopeless. Lost. Vacant.

No one was wearing a mask. No lessons learned.

The preacher raised his hands to the heavens.

Shanice was now an angel chosen by God.

And she left behind three orphaned children and one infant girl to never know their mother.

Science. Government. God.

When did we lose respect for science?

For physicians?

When did we disconnect and choose to listen to misinformation of COVID and vaccines?

A dead mother. And her four orphaned children.

The hearse. The black cars. The slow procession of her family and friends.

And yet another life was destroyed.