Living in Northern New Jersey in the midst of a global pandemic produces such surreal feelings. We starting sheltering in place and abiding by social distancing guidelines but within a matter of days, everything changed.

There were no routines, no deadlines, no clients, no friends, it was just the three of us and Rosie, our dog. Michael, a chef at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ and had fallen into a routine. Work, home, shower and sleep. Day after day he went to bed earlier and slept longer. Eight hours, ten hours, twelve hour and before long, he was sleeping within minutes after getting home.

We knew he was sick for days but he refused to accept it. Even after going to the emergency room he returned to work. Within a matter of days, we went from begging him to stay home, to frantically trying to find someone to save him.

He had pneumonia in both lungs and tested Covd-19 positive. The minutes turned into hours, hours into days and before long, none of us could even remember what day of the week it.

Those days turned into weeks. Little sleep didn’t help and I knew the hospitals were busting at the seams, nearing 100% capacity. While college kids were downing kegs at spring break in Florida, we were monitoring vitals by the hour, calling Covid-19 hotlines, on-call nurses, telmed video conferences with doctors and talking with friends and family who were trying to help guide us from a distance.

There really are no words to explain the flood of emotions. The roller coaster of fear tied to the determination to keep him alive. He was sleeping 22+ hours a day and we were relying on intuition and support from the few we told, to charter his path. Our healthcare heroes rose to our rescue. My neurologist got him the Covid-19 test and insisted I find a place to give him chest x-rays. A family member, an orthopedic surgeon was there to answer question after question. Friend after friend rose to “Dr. Google” status. Our journalist friends became investigative reporters, offering up advice and providing leads, contacts, and healthcare options. A close friend, and her husband, a radiologist, called and texted countless times a day, always at the ready to open the next door. Even mental professionals jumped into action, helping me steer a straight course, giving me clarity and direction.

Others friends, many photojournalists and reporters from decades past, checked in day by day, recounting their own experiences with Covid-19 in their own families. Unless you’re swimming against the tide, it’s hard to truly understand the depths to which you will navigate to seek answers.

The incredible bravery and determination displayed by our “village” was and is, bar none. So moved by their support, our house turned into a cornucopia of creativity. We needed to find ways to divert our thoughts from all the sickness and bring meaning to our days.

Our son, home from school, turned the garage and driveway into a carpentry workshop, designing and building American flags and furniture. I spent hundreds of hours designing “healthcare and essential worker heroes designs”. Our little Cape Cod house organically turned into a miniature design studio. We opened an Etsy store to share our work and I secretly hoped, that it would reach a handful of people who would be moved by our creations. It’s only been a few weeks but the store has started to gain some traction and more importantly, it’s give me the opportunity to correspondence with so many healthcare heroes, essential worker warriors and their families and friends who support them with every step they take and every breath they breathe.

Our creations and are now turning into projects and we hope to roll out a number of initiatives to give back and record history for generations to look back on. This is just the beginning of our story. Michael is well on the way to recovery but we are also very well aware that none of us know how Covid-19 will seep in and out of our lives to come.

In this incredible time of uncertainty, I am yet again convinced that GOOD design can change the world. Giving voice to all of us who are isolated is empowering. Be it an image, a yard sign, a sticker, button, post card, furniture or flags. It all provides meaning to those are seeing ways to share their experiences, to make connections, to feel less isolated and more connected.

We hope that our experience provides you with insight into those of us who have been personally touched by Covid-19. More importantly, we hope this inspires you to “create” your own memories from this incredibly unforgetible time.

We will give back to our community and local hospitals with proceeds from these sales. We hope something we created speaks to you and moves you to record your journey.

To those of you who stood with us, you are remarkable people, all filled with compassion and empathy. Ron, Mark, Jean, Marcel, Liz, Amanda, Doc, Janina, Adam, Dr. Alexianu, Dr. Pastina, Mike, Adeena, Marie, Jen, Elham, Yousef, Melissa, Linda, Rachel, Andre, Lance, Caroline and so many others, the journey continues.

Healthcare Heroes 2020 Etsy store