Croxton was fully vaccinated but the virus took his life on September 14th due to his weakened immune system.
His wife Sandra Croxton and son Mark Croxton hold his hands.
The images clearly show the raw emotion that circulates the hospital.
“Don’t suffer like me, get the vaccine immediately, it’s not only protecting yourself, its protecting people like me”- Joel Croxton. Croxton was fully vaccinated but the virus took his life on September 14th due to his weakened immune system. Here, he prays with a hospital chaplain over an iPad held by his nurse Jessie Ramirez (left). His wife Sandra Croxton and son Mark Croxton hold his hands. (Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
We hope his photo stories offer a glimpse at the heartache and heroism underway in our ICU right now.
My Modern Met had the privilege to speak with Hawes during a break from his busy schedule.
Alan Hawes, RN
What pushed you to transition your career fromphotojournalismto nursing?
Alan Hawes, RN
I was an observer, and they were doers.
I wanted to be a doer.
Ta’myus was born via an emergency cesarian section because Foster’s COVID was so severe.
Tala’Shea Foster holds an iPad as she visits with her newborn son Ta’myus Coffey via Facetime while she was recovering from COVID at MUSC. Ta’myus was born via an emergency cesarian section because Foster’s COVID was so severe. She spent weeks near death on a ventilator in the ICU, eventually ending up with a temporary tracheostomy and a healthy baby boy who she hadn’t held yet. She said she didn’t know the vaccine was available to pregnant women. (Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
She said she didn’t know the vaccine was available to pregnant women.
I knew before it even started in the U.S. We get the sickest of the sick.
Everybody is dying and it just makes me so sad, she said.
After completing a phone call to a patient’s wife, telling her she needs to come to the hospital because her husband is actively dying, MICU nurse Andrea Crain cries at the nurse’s station as patient care technician Kelly Burchette comforts her. “Everybody is dying and it just makes me so sad,” she said. (Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
(Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
How did (and do) patients and staff respond to your work?
Staff seems to really understand the power that these photos have.
I want to fight misinformation with shared visual experiences.
Mary Moore holds the hand of her unvaccinated fiancé Steven Lavendar as his mother Tabitha Jones comforts him while he recovers from COVID with the assistance of a tracheostomy and a ventilator in the ICU. Lavendar spent weeks isolated in the specialized unit on a ventilator until he was no longer contagious and extubated. He was moved to another unit where he could have visitors. Lavender was unable to talk due to his tracheostomy but his fiance' said he said he thought he was “too busy” to get the vaccine. (Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
As far as patients and families, I have gotten very positive feedback from several patients and their families.
Lavendar spent weeks isolated in the specialized unit on a ventilator until he was no longer contagious and extubated.
He was moved to another unit where he could have visitors.
A COVID patient who tried to fight off the virus at home while his wife was in MUSC ICU with the virus, rolls into the MICU after being intubated in the emergency room. (Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
Her family did not want to let her go no matter what.
I told her mother and father that we were at the end of the rope.
Her daughter died later that night.
Lester Tumbleston lies in his ICU bed in a sealed room after being intubated for COVID-19. When asked about the vaccine before being intubated he said “I was just leary of it. Now I don’t give a shit, I’m going to get it.” Tumbleston spent about two weeks on a ventilator. He was discharged from the hospital in early October. (Alan Hawes, RN/ MUSC)
(Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
What sort of feedback have you received from the images?
More than I ever imagined.
Total strangers come up to me and tell me they saw the images and that they shared them.
Dr. Denise Sese (left) discusses a patient’s plan of care with ICU nurse Ericka Tollerson in the COVID ICU. (Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
Lester Tumbleston lies in his ICU bed in a sealed room after being intubated for COVID-19.
When asked about the vaccine before being intubated he said I was just leary of it.
Now I don’t give a shit, I’m going to get it.
Mary Moore holds the hand of her unvaccinated fiancé Steven Lavender as he recovers from COVID in the ICU. (Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
Tumbleston spent about two weeks on a ventilator.
He was discharged from the hospital in early October.
Its a goldilocks period of time, hospitalized but not too sick.
The COVID ICU is divided into two zones, yellow and red. Red sealed with negative pressure air to keep the airborne virus particles from leaving the room, but requires the staff to wear full PPE, including N-95 respirators and eye protection for most of their 12-hour shifts. (Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
I use all my contacts around the hospital to help me identify possible participants.
(Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
What do you hope that the public takes away from your work?
Understand that if you chose not to get vaccinated that your decision could cost someone else their life.
We have seen fully vaccinated people with weakened immunity die well before their time.
Vaccinations keep most people out of the ICU.
COVID patients are occupying ICU beds for weeks and months at a time.
Mary Moore holds the hand of her unvaccinated fiance Steven Lavender as he recovers from COVID in the ICU.
(Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
The COVID ICU is divided into two zones, yellow and red.
(Alan Hawes, RN/MUSC)
