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117 Norwegians so far have lost their lives as a result of a coronary infection. Grethe Askjer (84) is one of them.
– The mother was incredibly kind and loving to the father, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Many people appreciated her, says her daughter Randi Askjer.
The 84-year-old man became a coronary in mid-March. Randi Askjer and her sister Bjørg Askjer have a nursing history, and from the beginning they suspected that their mother might be infected with the Covid-19 virus.
That is why they, along with the brothers, tried to keep up with her on the phone.
“It was terribly painful to be five siblings who realized that she was ill and wanted to be with her, but were unable to visit her because of the danger of infection,” Askjer says.
When her mother abruptly deteriorated, she still went looking for her, using what she had from the contamination kit. Then the 84-year-old woman was so ill that she was sent to the hospital soon after.
Say goodbye to the infection control team.
There they placed her in the intensive care unit and connected her to a ventilator.
– We get multiple updates daily, and unfortunately they got worse every time. And having to communicate it without being able to have physical contact with anyone in the family or the father, was very demanding, says his son Fredrik Askjer.
He talks about a strong meeting with the health care system at a special time.
– It was probably very difficult for them, because although they wanted to be close to their mother, they couldn’t let us in. They were honest about not being sure how this was going to go, but they didn’t dare leave us there, Askjer says.
Due to strict infection control measures, only a few family members saw Grethe in the hospital before he died. Fredrik and his sister were dressed in full contamination gear and transported on a back road so they could say goodbye to the mother.
– When we entered, we were dressed again with new equipment, before we could become a mother. It was a very special experience. Bjorg and I had to hold his hand when he died, Askjer says.
Lined up with roses along the way
For the extended family, it has been difficult not to be close to each other in the time after death.
– We cannot meet in groups or touch each other. And for us who have children and grandchildren, it has been demanding not knowing them, says Bjørg Askjer.
Most of the funeral communication took place in a group chat on Facebook. In order for the necessary distance to be maintained, the ceremony had to take place in a different church than the one that would bury Grethe.
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