WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A West Palm Beach doctor is still in the intensive care unit, nearly two months after he was hospitalized with COVID-19.
Paul Laroche said his brother, Dr. Vladimir Laroche, has made strides but has suffering complications after coming off a ventilator.
The brothers can only see each other through Facetime on an iPad.
"The iPad being there, so it's easier all day," said Paul Laroche. "We talk to him, even though it's a one-way conversation."
Dr. Laroche is sedated at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, hospitalized for COVID-19 almost two months ago. His time in the ICU has been prolonged due to complications.
"He would go into a complete panic attack and he would start hyperventilating," said Paul Laroche. "His blood pressure would shoot sky high."
Laroche said doctors decided to perform a tracheostomy.
"He was actually off of all sedatives for that one day and he was up and awake and he interacting with the doctor and even cried with the doctor," said Laroche.
But then Paul said his brother developed an infection and his pneumonia flared up.
Dr. Laroche had to be sedated again.
Desperate to see his brother, Paul Laroche donated three iPads to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center and said there are six more on the way. That way, family members who can't visit because of COVID-19 restrictions can see their loved ones another way.
"They loving them and it makes such a difference," said Laroche. "I loaded some music that I know he likes. Some jazz music, some classical music, and things that the nurses are able to play all day."