What the Coroner Saw

Chapter 1: The beginning

What the Coroner Saw

Marie Lasater, RN, MSN, F-ABMDI

Chapter One

The Beginning

I’ve been a registered nurse since 1979. Along the way I obtained my Master’s degree in Science and became very interested in epidemiology. As a nurse, I spent decades in critical care, a specialty that gets down to the cell level.

When my Mom passed away in 2002, I became interested in forensics, especially death investigation. Witnessing the expertise and diligence of the Nashville coroner, Mary Galbreath, in her investigation of Mom’s death led me to a new calling. After several years preparing for the role, I ran for coroner, and was elected to a 4 year term. A second term would start January 1, 2021 and I had to think long an hard about continuing in my role and serving as a covid era coroner. In the end, I knew I could not leave my County in the lurch during this time, so I ran again and was re-elected to another 4 year term. I honestly didn’t expect what was coming, but all my actions were based on my oath, not only as a sworn electee to the local government, but as a nurse with a sworn oath that ends in “I shall be loyal in my work and devoted to the welfare of those committed to my care.”.

The following is a transcription of pages from my diary the first week of the Covid-19 campaign.

3/16/2020

The coronavirus hoax apparently went live last Friday, the 13^th. It was festering over the weekend, now the stock market has crashed – halting trading. There are runs on toilet paper and hand sanitizer (due to a meme started by Facebook, I suspect.)

My mandatory annual Coroners’ conference was postponed indefinitely and virtually everything is being cancelled; due to a few scattered deaths (less than 100 of 80 plus year old seniors across the country.) Why doesn’t everyone see this as a hoax to crash the economy and control the populace? I place a yellow post-it note on my refrigerator asking the question “We need to decide now what we’re willing to put up with.”

3/17/2020

St. Patrick’s Day – bars essentially closed, a big hit to Missouri S & T, a university whose patron saint is St. Patrick. More cancellations. Also, the county plan was to keep local schools open until we had a confirmed case of Covid-19 in our county. Surprise, schools closed anyway for “at least three weeks” after teachers found out they could stay home and still be paid. (As it turned out, schools stayed closed for the rest of the school year. Seniors missed homecoming, graduation and preparation for college.) Working parents struggling with kids at home during their work hours. So many people losing their jobs due to closures. People dividing into two groups: Patriots who didn’t like being restricted, and those going along with the narrative and obeying “social distancing.” I went out to eat at El Carnavale in defiance.

3/18/2020

Trump is taking strong action after declaring virus a hoax. Pence declared it a live exercise. I agree with both. However, Trump is using the war powers act to increase production of things like ventilators. Public groups are now limited to 50 people, and in California people have to stand in line to enter stores. When someone comes out, another person gets to enter.

3/19/2020

I picked up my granddaughter today, and the nail shop was still open, so we got our nails done. Torrential rains, storms, lightning. Pond is overflowing and highest I’ve ever see the water level. Folks are questioning “Shelter in Place,” is this Martial Law? I received a request for funeral home procedures based on estimated 3% additional deaths – 750 people. (Our normal death rate is about 210 deaths annually.) Death care workers now have priority for PPE, personal protective equipment. Rumors the 5G is being installed in schools while they are closed, to be completed by mid-April. Of note, I noticed an out of state (and out of place) US based cell tower vehicle last Friday.

3/20/2020

Not sleeping well. I can’t fall asleep, and when I do, I wake up frequently. There was a emergency meeting at 1 pm today at the Health Department. It was well attended, with everyone except me very concerned regarding contracting the virus. Mixed messages regarding PPE, concerns there won’t be enough. I state to the group that I feel t