With 1,441,128 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus globally, the world is now at war with this deadly disease.
Despite the fact many of us being instructed to stay at home, there are still the incredible key workers and frontline medical staff putting themselves at risk in an effort to battle against COVID-19. As a result, these incredible individuals are forced to make sacrifices many of us would find unimaginable.
Related - This nurse recently recalled the moment he helped a family Facetime with their deceased father:
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One emergency room nurse named Devon Nicole Oechsle from Texas recently shared her story to Facebook, revealing that she and her husband had been forced to make the heartbreaking decision to send their three-year-old daughter to live with a family friend in order to protect her.
With Devon being a nurse and her husband Jason being a firefighter/medic, they are constantly at risk of catching COVID-19, and the parents were forced to make a decision no parents would want to make.
Writing on Facebook, Devon said:
"This is my current situation.
"Jason and I just had to have a very hard conversation to send Ellie away tonight for maybe a month... to stay with my amazing friend Anita, who did not even hesitate to keep her for us. And Ellie loves 'Miss Nita.'
"This is the face of someone who feels punished for trying to be the 'good guy.' My job as an ER nurse is just that, my job, I don't ever feel like it's anything crazy or special or deserving of accolades. Jason feels the same way as a [firefighter]/medic.
"But, our jobs are important right now and unlike many, we are still required to work. And that work carries a high risk of being infected, or spreading this damn virus. I have already been in contact with +covid patients, and the last thing we want to do is have Ellie surrounded by the potential virus we could carry home.
"So, I feel punished for having to be the 'good guy.' I have to send my 3.5yo child away. I won't get to visit her. I won't get to hug her. I won't get to tuck her in at night. We have FaceTime, and that's it. For up to a month, or who knows how long...and many of my coworkers have had to do the same.
"So, if you've read this far and you are having to stay home with your kids all day, consider it a blessing and absolutely NOTHING less."
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Finally, Devon ended her message with a very simple instruction for everybody:
"And for heaven's sake, everyone, STAY.AT.HOME. The sooner this crap is over the quicker my kid can come home."
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Since posting the emotional status on March 31, Devon's post went viral, amassing over 122K comments and over 152K shares. However, several trolls in the comments section slammed the doting mother's difficult decision, leading to Devon shutting them down, writing:
"Edit: since this has gone viral somehow, let me just set one thing straight. Don't you DARE come at me for 'getting rid of my child' and saying 'you made a choice, there were other options' and 'no job is worth sending my kid to a stranger to raise'
"1. Sure would be a crappy day for you if all the staff in your ER weren't there because they all quit their jobs to stay at home with their kids
"2. Tell me what other options I had since you are so in my shoes?
"3. She is 15min down the road, staying with someone she loves and who loves her. We didn't just wake up and decide to leave her with a stranger!
"All the keyboard warriors can just sit down."
Fortunately, many people totally empathized with the family, and well-wishers left comments of support for Devon and Jason:
VT would like to take this time to thank both Devon and Jason for their amazing work, and remind our readers to heed her words and stay at home.
We are urging all of our readers to adhere to the advice from their respective governments and medical bodies, and practice social distancing and self-isolation where required. Together, we will beat this...