A Los Lunas, New Mexico, father is trying to stay strong for his family after two of his children became critically ill due to the coronavirus.Over the past few weeks, Jason Baca has called the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) his home.Two of his sons, 17-year-old Jason Lee Baca and 13-year-old Ayden Baca, are currently fighting for their lives in the facility's pediatric intensive care unit. It all started Aug. 13 after multiple people within the family of nine started to feel sick and reported similar symptoms, including a runny nose and a headache. The feeling soon spread to the rest of the household. No one in the family had received a COVID-19 vaccine. "We were in shock. I mean, within three days, it spread from one or two of us to everybody in the house," Baca said.Family members were soon tested by health care professionals for COVID-19. Baca says most people came back positive, like his wife, Renee Baca. "It wasn't a good feeling. I couldn't breathe. I had a really hard time breathing," Renee said. While she eventually recovered after a two-week hospital stay, other members of her family did not. Her mother, Sandra Moya, was admitted and passed away.Before her passing, Baca's son Jason Lee was diagnosed with pneumonia and transferred to UNMH from Presbyterian Hospital."Now knowing how bad that my sons got, and my wife got, and that everybody was sick, I just think it’s more serious and that people need to take it a lot more seriously then they have been taking it," Baca said.Ayden was soon admitted into the pediatric ICU."They said that he had a 0% chance of making it. They wanted me to say bye to him, and I said, 'I’m not gonna say bye,'" Renee said. For six weeks Jason Lee and Ayden have undergone surgeries and utilized ventilators due to heart and breathing complications.Dr. Walter Dehority, an associate professor for the University of New Mexico's Department of Pediatrics, says parents should get their children vaccinated against COVID-19."We are finding more and more cases of severe COVID in children," Dr. Dehority said. "Kids can come in and look like they have a cold, and several days later they could be in the intensive care unit on life support. It can go from zero to 60 in a matter of days."Baca says his sons are still in the pediatric ICU, but they are getting better. However, he wishes his family got vaccinated to begin with."To see your kids in a bed, with that hose in their throat and not being able to breath on their own, that’s horrible," Baca said. He now spends his time sharing his story with other families, and praying for a full recovery for his two sons. "There’s so little that you can do when you’re here," Baca said. "I mean, prayers are one of the main things that you can do. I’ve been praying a lot."
A Los Lunas, New Mexico, father is trying to stay strong for his family after two of his children became critically ill due to the coronavirus.
Over the past few weeks, Jason Baca has called the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) his home.
Two of his sons, 17-year-old Jason Lee Baca and 13-year-old Ayden Baca, are currently fighting for their lives in the facility's pediatric intensive care unit.
It all started Aug. 13 after multiple people within the family of nine started to feel sick and reported similar symptoms, including a runny nose and a headache.
The feeling soon spread to the rest of the household. No one in the family had received a COVID-19 vaccine.
"We were in shock. I mean, within three days, it spread from one or two of us to everybody in the house," Baca said.
Family members were soon tested by health care professionals for COVID-19. Baca says most people came back positive, like his wife, Renee Baca.
"It wasn't a good feeling. I couldn't breathe. I had a really hard time breathing," Renee said.
While she eventually recovered after a two-week hospital stay, other members of her family did not. Her mother, Sandra Moya, was admitted and passed away.
Before her passing, Baca's son Jason Lee was diagnosed with pneumonia and transferred to UNMH from Presbyterian Hospital.
"Now knowing how bad that my sons got, and my wife got, and that everybody was sick, I just think it’s more serious and that people need to take it a lot more seriously then they have been taking it," Baca said.
Ayden was soon admitted into the pediatric ICU.
"They said that he had a 0% chance of making it. They wanted me to say bye to him, and I said, 'I’m not gonna say bye,'" Renee said.
For six weeks Jason Lee and Ayden have undergone surgeries and utilized ventilators due to heart and breathing complications.
Dr. Walter Dehority, an associate professor for the University of New Mexico's Department of Pediatrics, says parents should get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.
"We are finding more and more cases of severe COVID in children," Dr. Dehority said. "Kids can come in and look like they have a cold, and several days later they could be in the intensive care unit on life support. It can go from zero to 60 in a matter of days."
Baca says his sons are still in the pediatric ICU, but they are getting better.
However, he wishes his family got vaccinated to begin with.
"To see your kids in a bed, with that hose in their throat and not being able to breath on their own, that’s horrible," Baca said.
He now spends his time sharing his story with other families, and praying for a full recovery for his two sons.
"There’s so little that you can do when you’re here," Baca said. "I mean, prayers are one of the main things that you can do. I’ve been praying a lot."
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