LIVONIA, Mich. – Shannon Dorchak and her mother have worked at St Mary Mercy Livonia hospital since 2004. She’s a nurse and her mother, Linda, is a nurse in a general medical unit. They were working together to face COVID-19 until Linda got sick.

Update May 9, 2020: Michigan coronavirus (COVID-19) cases up to 46,756; Death toll now at 4,526 with 22,686 recoveries reported

“I just can’t wait to give my mom a hug,” Dorchak said. “I’m used to seeing her all the time at work and stopping over to her house and not seeing her at all, it’s just, it’s been very hard.”

The two are more than best friends. Dorchak said it was nice to have a family member at work she could speak to who knew what was going on. Together they saw how devastating coronavirus could be.

“In all my years of nurse I’ve never seen the turnaround so quick when you’re talking to a patient and they’re doing OK and then half an hour later, we’re doing compressions on them because they’re not surviving,” Dorchak said.

In early April, Linda starting showing symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19. Thankfully, the 62-year-old grandmother and seasoned marathon runner never had to go to the hospital or be put on a ventilator. She’s been recovering at home.

“Every day we wake up grateful now knowing that she’s on the road to recovery,” Dorchak said. “Knowing that some of these people were just healthy and they didn’t have anything wrong with them and they still did not make it makes you more grateful that I still have her around.”

While she won’t be able to hug Linda on Mother’s Day, the two health care heroes have never been closer.

Linda has an appointment next week and is hoping to be given the all-clear. After more than a month at home, Dorchak said her mom really wants to get back to work and helping others.

Anyone who believes they might have coronavirus should follow the CDC guidelines. Michigan.gov has a list of resources available to those concerned about COVID-19.

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