Amy and her husband Joe Mulhearn in 2019.

Amy Mulhearn, Resident

Amy Mulhearn, a “country girl” from Oklahoma, is a 49-year-old nursing home resident and has cerebral palsy. She lived with her husband until he died in July 2020. Click the black squares below to hear and read about Amy’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The expanded interview (edited for clarity) is available at the bottom of the page.

Well, I lost my husband on July 18th because of a seizure. They wouldn’t allow me to be with him when he died because of COVID.

I had COVID myself in early November. I almost died twice, and I had to go to Tulsa to get extra care from the hospital to save my life

Now I have the long-haul symptoms. I have anxiety, I lost my hair. I’m glad it’s growing back again. Because of COVID I lost my smell, I lost my taste. And it just really has affected my life greatly because I cannot even sleep in my bed yet, because I have anxiety attacks.

Thanksgiving Day was the first time I’ve seen them in a year. I had to touch my mom’s hand through a glove and they um… it was really hard because she hasn’t seen me since my husband’s death in July. And it was really touching because you don’t realize how much you miss someone until you see them.

I feel like our families should come freely as they wish since both my parents are vaccinated, I am vaccinated, you know, they should come any time they want to, to see me.

Click below for the expanded interview (6:13).