Sharon Fung admits that she has been scared watching her husband Dr. Donald Fung, an Anesthesiologist in the intensive care unit at the North Bay Regional Health Centre, going to work every day.
That changed recently when Sharon found out her husband was getting his first COVID-19 vaccination shot.
"It has been a highlight in one crazy year," Sharon admitted.
"Today I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel."
She has every reason to fear the worst. That's because back in 2007 Donald contracted a jungle virus while they were on vacation in Malaysia.
"He was in a coma in ICU and they really were not sure he would make it," recalls Sharon about Donald's condition.
"I stayed in Toronto with him and my kids were in North Bay with my mom."
Donald recovered from the scary illness, but when the pandemic arrived, Sharon could not get that memory out of her head fearing he could be back in that condition again.
"It was a completely different kind of virus so it would not have made him more susceptible to this one but being through an experience where he did almost die and he was critically ill has been scary," she said.
"I spent a great deal of time with him at the ICU at Mt. Sinai and I just kept thinking that I don't want to have to do that again and I was able to be with him.
"I can't imagine having him that sick or having a family member that sick and not being able to be there with them it breaks my heart. I cannot imagine someone being that ill and you don't know if they are going to pull through and you cannot see them. I never want to go through that again."
Fung believes Donald is one of many health care workers that have been vaccinated now, that are feeling a little better going to work with COVID-19 still lingering in the area.
"I just really wanted him to have it and all the health care workers to have knowing other health care workers around the province were getting it recently. So I was really anxious and happy to hear our allotment had come for high-priority health care workers," she said.
"So not just for Donald, but for all the workers that are working right in the hospital with the sick patients, I was really happy that it arrived for them. I think it brings a great sense of relief to a lot of people."
