Attorney Amy Morilla Miller is like many Americans: now working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, while also being caretaker and teacher to young children.

But she's felt the effects of COVID-19 in a way that very few have: She has five relatives infected with the virus—her parents, aunt, uncle and 94-year-old grandfather. And they all fell sick within a three-week period in March.

"I can't say I'm fine," said Miller, who runs Miller & Morilla in Stratford with her husband and personal injury lawyer, Ryan. "It's been tough."

At work as an immigration attorney, Miller advises, guides and reassures clients. But now she finds herself in unfamiliar territory: fearful about the health of her relatives, especially her grandfather Luis Morilla, who is in the most serious condition.

"I have no choice but to keep going," she said. "My two daughters are 3 and 5, and I try to hide this from them. I found myself crying a lot last week."

|

Unable to help

Miller's parents and grandfather live together in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. They started getting sick a few days apart beginning in mid-March.

"It was like a chain reaction," Miller said.

Miller doesn't know how her father, the first in the family to come down with the virus, contracted it. But it seems her aunt and uncle, from Ridgefield, New Jersey, became infected after coming in contact with her grandfather. Her father and grandfather are now in separate hospitals, while her mother, aunt and uncle are recovering from home.

"The hardest part is not being able to help," said Miller, whose parents are immigrants from Cuba in what is a very close-knit family. "As the oldest grandchild, I was used to everyone turning to me for help."

It's been difficult to not visit her sick relatives, but Miller said the support of her husband, family and friends has gotten her through the tough times.

Her father, also named Luis Morilla, was unable to breathe on his own. He required an oxygen tank, was very weak, lost weight and has pneumonia. But his symptoms have alleviated, and it appears he's moved past the height of the illness.

"I was worried because for about a week, he wouldn't answer his texts," Miller said. "He was just afraid to move. It hurt to move. I now talk to my dad everyday. I asked him how he was doing and he said,  'Amy, I love you.' It's still a little hard for him to talk though."

With all the infected relatives, Miller noticed that "things were at their worst" at the seventh and eighth day of the illness. Her father was taken to the hospital March 23, and might be leaving the facility in a few days. But it's not clear when her grandfather might head home, after a second hospitalization on April 2.

"I'm just distraught," Miller said. "My grandfather made it to 94 years old, healthy and strong, and it's sad to think he is at risk now over this virus. I spoke to him a few days ago and you could hear how upset he was in his voice. He was tired and in pain. He just sounded weak."

Miller's father and grandfather were given the anti-malaria drug Plaquenil.

"It's not clear if that drug helped them, but they did seem to get a little better after taking it," she said.

Meanwhile, Miller is moving forward with her law practice.

"My clients have been very understanding," she said. "Everyone understands that health is a priority at this time. But they still want me to represent them. I try my best to do my work. I wake up earlier in the morning than I normally would, and try to start my work day before the girls get up."

For Miller, the experience has been a lesson.

"It's a reminder that we are not untouchable and that anything can happen," she said. "We need to say, 'I love you' to those that we love. If you are distant from a relative, just call and say hi, or maybe tell that person something you've been putting off."

Read more: