INDIANAPOLIS — Jessica Gerig will tell you that is was a honor to protect and serve our nation.
“I will never forget [the] 4th of July in full uniform directing traffic,” Gerig said.
Gerig served in the Air Force from 1998-2001 and now she is battling COVID-19.
“Dizzy, fever, stuffy, congestion, cough, sneezing, just feeling miserable,” Gerig said.
Gerig is currently living at Veterans Villa which is permanent supportive housing that is owned by Helping Veterans and Families.
She is one of many veterans turning to the VA for help.
“The people here at Veterans Villa have been amazing taking out our garbage, delivering our mail for us, delivering drinks,” Gerig told WRTV.
The Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center is another option for veterans who need centralized care. Their patient response center is a 24 hour call center that is answered by registered nurses.
Veterans can call in and request appointments or speak to a nurse if they have questions about medications or other medical questions.
More than 35 staff members make up the call center. The call center usually answers about 900 calls a day but due to the recent surge, they are taking about 1,700 calls a day.
“Veterans are calling in with symptoms they want to validate or confirm if its COVID related or not. Then you have patients who are calling if they have a new onset of a symptom or a worsening symptom,” Ambera Oyoo, office manager for the Patient Response Center, said.
“Keep fighting, it's worth the fight, stay protected, don’t pass it on if you got it,” Gerig said.
If you are a veteran and need assistance, you can contact the Patient Response Center at 317-988-1772.
-
'It means that I can go to work': Local single mom gets free car
A single mom who’s been without a car for months got a new set of wheels Wednesday, and it didn't cost her a dime thanks to an auto-repair company with local ties.
South Madison Fire Territory expansion canceled due to new property tax law
Eight local governing bodies had previously agreed to expand the South Madison Fire Protection Territory, but now, that plan has to be scrapped.
Neighbors seek changes to the intersection of 16th and Delaware Street
Neighbors and community leaders on Indy’s Old North Side are calling for additional safety measures for what they say has long been a dangerous intersection.
AI data processing center could rise in Hancock County
Cloud computer technology, including artificial intelligence, needs data centers to function. A developer hopes to convert more than 700 acres of Hancock County farmland into an AI data campus.
