But it was too late for Roberts family.
Paul Roberts, a former musician and carpenter turned computer programmer for NASA, now works at a software company. He and his wife, a retired Methodist Hospital nurse who calls herself a “half-glass person,” directed an online fanzine and attended Comic Con events years ago. They meet weekly with their two daughters, son-in-law and 7-year-old grandson for puzzles and fierce Uno games.
“They are amazing nerds,” Roman, 38, said of his parents.
Sheryl Roberts, 65, understood the dangers of the pandemic: She had diabetes, asthma, and heart disease, which could put her at greater risk. Her husband had chronic lung disease and a stent to open a blocked coronary artery.
“We have been very careful, very careful and we have kept away from people,” said Roberts. Her husband started working from home in the spring, when Washington state, New York, and other areas of the country were hit hard. Mr. Roberts occasionally ran a supermarket during “senior” hour; The couple’s only “big date” in recent months, Roberts said, was seeing wildflowers from their car.
Her youngest daughter was also diligent. But then she came back from work sneezing one day in In mid-June and I thought it was allergies. Soon he had a cough, fever, headaches, and diarrhea, and he lost his sense of taste and smell, telltale symptoms of the coronavirus.
“She said, ‘I don’t know what’s going on, Mom, but I was wearing a mask, gloves, I washed my hands,'” said Roberts. “You do the right things and you still understand it.”
Elaine Roberts, who tested positive for the coronavirus, did not become seriously ill. But for her parents, it would be much worse.
Daughter, sister, janitor
Roberts and his wife began to sneeze and then cough, as did their daughter, and developed fevers and severe body aches. Then he got sick “terribly fast,” Sheryl Roberts recalled. He was confused on June 22. Alarmed, he tested his oxygen level. He was short, and he called his oldest daughter to take him to an emergency care center, the second visit in two days.
