BALTIMORE — It’s been 176 days since Hilda Polczynski has heard her husband Steven sing.
“He sang in our church all the time and he sings for weddings, funerals, everything just because he loves to sing." Polczynski said. "That is his goal to be able to sing again.”
Steven was diagnosed with COVID-19 in late August and was put on a ventilator.
He’s been transferred around to different hospitals ever since.
“He has had ups and downs, ups and downs. He went into cardiac arrest. He was down for 15 minutes and they had to bring him back. We were not able to visit and it’s so difficult not being able to visit your loved one.”
The entire time his wife, children, grand-kids and friends could only support him via video chat.
“It’s so difficult and it’s frustrating to him. He will start jerking like twitching because he gets anxious because I can’t understand what he’s saying.”
She said once she was able to see him things got better but he still had setbacks.
“I’ve been able to visit all the way up through last Friday when the Governor put stricter restrictions for nursing home and rehab centers.”
She’s reached out to the Governor’s Office to see if her husband could be considered a patient with disabilities— a designation that still allows for visitors.
“He can’t talk for himself; he can’t even push a button for a nurse. I feel like I should be allowed, excuse me sorry, to go and see him.”
When she could see him, she was dressed head to toe in PPE.
All things she would wear in a heartbeat to see her husband. She has a message for people who have a problem taking the simplest of precautions
“What’s it going to hurt to just wear the mask, but it could kill someone else.”
Unsure of the next time she will see her husband again. But holding out hope for a visit and more songs from him down the road.
With all of Steven's health problems a date on when he can go home is uncertain.
He and the family are hoping to be home for Christmas, but that may be ambitious.
