Mother of eight on a ventilator fighting COVID-19
By Jatara McGee
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CINCINNATI (WLWT) — A Cincinnati mother of eight is fighting for her life after contracting COVID-19.
Amber Feltner was rushed to the hospital Sunday night with low oxygen levels. She is currently on a ventilator.
This time last year, her husband Travis Feltner was hospitalized for about two weeks after a life-altering crash. He was on his way to work at Children’s Hospital when a suspect leading police on a short pursuit slammed into him.
A year later, he is still recovering from numerous injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. The husband, father and breadwinner has been unable to return to work.
“If I don’t keep my car keys and my wallet in the one spot on my desk, I’ll spend half the day looking for them,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking … I spent 20+ years to get to that point in my life. And it only took 17 seconds for it to go away.”
Travis Feltner’s focus the last few days has been split between his wife’s health and making sure his kids are doing OK.
“She does put other people before her, and now we have to put her before us to get her better and get her home,” he said. “I’ve told the kids that mom is in the hospital. She’s getting treated by the doctors, and the doctors and nurses are taking care of her. They seem to understand that the doctors are trying to help.”
The couple’s kids range from 20 years old to twin 3-year-olds.
“I can’t even talk to her or see her or anything, so that makes it a little bit harder for me,” he said.
He said he gets an update from the hospital daily, and if he could talk to his wife, he would tell her this: “I love you. I miss you. And we’re all praying for you and hoping you get back home soon.”
Travis Feltner said they wear masks in public, but Amber Feltner was not vaccinated and had a fear of vaccines after Travis had a bad reaction to the flu shot several years ago.
“It’s just that one time that just scared her,” he said.
So far, one of the kids has tested positive for COVID-19 but is doing well. Travis Feltner is not sure who was infected first or where the family caught COVID-19.
“It could have been one of the kids brought it home from school, could have picked it up from going to the grocery store,” he said.
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