Lee Health reports only 17 ICU beds available

Reporter: Sydney Persing Writer: Jackie Winchester
Published:
Art Rooney (Provided by Theresa Rooney)

Lee Health is reporting they have only 17 beds available in their hospital system as cases of COVID-19 and the rate of hospitalizations continue to rise in Southwest Florida.

CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci said that at the current rate, there will be no beds by the end of the month.

Theresa Rooney said Monday that her husband got the last ICU bed at Cape Coral Hospital, and she has a message for everyone.

Before doctors put a tube down Art Rooney’s throat, he said, “I hope everything works out. Bye …”

His wife now has a message of her own.

“This is absolutely real. My husband is fighting for his life right now. People need to take this seriously,” she said.

Theresa thought that maybe if she could take people inside her husband’s ICU room, if she could get people to feel her heartbreak, they may approach the virus differently.

“There were a couple times that I thought I was going to lose him, and I just have to standby and wait because I’m not allowed to see him.”

She hopes her pain might get people to do what they’re told: wear a mask and stay home. She prays that other families never suffer the way she has.

“For them to hear your voice, for them to feel your touch, and for me to not be able to do that, is killing me. Because I need to be able to look in his eyes and tell him how much I love him,” she said.

Theresa is grateful that Art is where he is, especially since Lee Health is running out of ICU beds.

Art can’t talk with a tube, and if he has the TV on, he’ll be able to hear her say “I love you … so much. I can’t wait for you to come home. There are so many people looking forward to seeing you.”

Theresa said Art’s doctors said Monday they believe he is getting better, not worse.

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