Ocala nurse desperately needs lung transplant after contracting COVID-19 at work

OCALA, Fla. - A 56-year-old nurse is fighting for her life in the hospital after getting coronavirus. While she's the one usually caring for patients, she now needs the help of others.

"They’re just now allowing us to come into her room today."

It’s the first day Cycarria Mcfarland has been able to see her mother in months. She says Venezia Monroe, 56, is in critical condition with COVID-19.

"My mom has been a nurse of almost 30 years and while working she contracted COVID," Mcfarland said.

Monroe is a longtime nurse in Ocala who works at a senior living facility.  

Her daughter says she had a very special way with her patients even during the pandemic. 

"She loves her job, she loves helping people, so that’s why it’s so ironic that nobody wants to help her." 

Mcfarland says many hospitals denied her mother the help she needs because she’s considered high-risk.

We asked, "What is it that you need for your mom?" Mcfarland replied, "She needs lungs. She needs lungs. And she needs for a doctor to take the risk, even if she does not make it through the surgery. At least we tried. We need someone that’s willing to take the risk because everybody is telling us no and I know there’s somebody out there, somebody out there will tell us yes."

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Mcfarland says her mother is high-risk because she can’t breathe without using a ventilator, but she says pressure from the device is damaging her lungs. 

"If we’re willing to take that risk, then someone has to be willing to take that risk with us. You get what I’m saying? Cause otherwise she’s dying anyway. I’m not giving up on my momma."

Mcfarland says as a nurse her mother never gave up on patients, including ones with COVID-19.

"She’s helped so many people, so many people. Makes me feel like, 'What’s the point of doing right in this world when you end up with something like this.'"

But through the darkness, she believes there’s a light.

"I believe and I have faith. I have faith."

Faith that someone can save this loving mother with four children and two grandchildren.

While she needs new lungs, they pray someone with a loving heart comes forward, one just like her.

"I’m begging you from the bottom of my heart, any doctor, anybody who knows somebody who has lungs. We need it. We need it. It’s not even a want. We need it," Mcfarland said.

She says there's still so much her mom needs to enjoy in this world.

If there's someone who wants to help, email the family at tycarriam@gmail.com.