How I’m Surviving Covid-19 With A Medically-Fragile Son And A Movie Release

By Nicole Conn

COVID-19 is no joke! With Trump’s anti-Democratic governors’ bullying and spewing incorrect facts, seriously wrong conclusions and trying to place the blame for all the blood on his hands anywhere but where it belongs, I find myself angrier and angrier every day. Remember when he told the country it was nothing more than another Dem “Hoax”?

It’s real. And when you have a child that is as medically fragile as my son, Nicholas, Trump’s inability to federalize a resolution to help out all of the beleaguered Governors keeps me in a perpetual state of extreme PTSD in regard to Nicholas and his well-being. 

Nicholas has severe chronic lung disease from all the ventilators he was put on as a micro-preemie. His lungs are extremely delicate and we have been in the ICU numerous times, this last time (2019) he was so ill that Palliative Care came to speak to me about advocating for a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate). 

So when it became evident that the COVID-19 virus attacks the lungs so aggressively, we cut down the seven nurses, 24 hour rotation to only two nurses who were not treating others, leaving only them and myself to cover all 24 hour shifts. 

My daughter, Gabrielle, is the only other person allowed in the house and even then we keep her and Nicholas separate. It makes me feel like our family is fractured and that he and I are isolated from the entire universe.

Nicole Conn directing Cale Ferrin in ‘More Beautiful For Having Been Broken’

I’m also right in the middle of releasing my latest film, “More Beautiful For Having Been Broken” and I’ve discovered the more positive aspects of COVID-19. Not only do I get to spend more quality time with Nicholas, but I also get to do the same with all the fans from around the world. 

Being isolated is not new for me. As a writer/director I spend oodles of time working alone anyway, usually in a set of plaid pajama pants and some mismatching top. But with all this extra time sequestered from the world, I’m able to really have fun with folks that I haven’t been in contact with for ages, as well as new fans and pen pals from all over the world, not to mention conducting and joining live chats worldwide

Quarantine also gave me time for reflection and planning. I personally believe that humanity is in a reset today with this era of the COVID-19 pandemic challenging all the ways we’re used to living. It’s also become clear that our community is rabid for content. With this in mind, I spoke with my inner circle and discussed building Nicole Conn Films Global in an effort to help supply all the content we need. 

Nicole Conn Films Global is an international group dedicated to the funding and supporting of women’s narrative features in the 21st Century. We are committed to producing quality and entertaining Feature Films, Documentaries and TV/Web Series made by, for & about women and their complex lives. Our mission is to keep Women’s Lesbian Cinema alive and thriving, build our library, as well as inviting Membership Artists to be involved with films, specialized event & funding screenings or exhibitions. With our unique funding model we intend to do just that.

Nicole Conn with her son Nicholas and their dog

Further we are creating inventive partnerships with other women’s production companies, and businesses. We have an ambitious goal to become an IMDB for Lesbians – a central spot for all the Lesbian TV shows, films, series, web-series so that women in the entertainment industry can reach out to promote and pitch themselves to be involved in a production that speaks to their hearts. (Any data/librarian type folks out there who want to help? Write us at assistant@nicoleconn.com)

And finally, releasing “More Beautiful For Having Been Broken” during this time actually seems to have been a good thing. As I have suggested to many, romance is a remedy! I believe films about love can be an antidote to pain and loneliness at this time.

Due to C-19 we have lost that precious Red Carpet Screening Event in Los Angeles that is usually a time of great celebration for cast, crew, friends and family. Vision Films, our incredible World Wide Distribution company came up with a brilliant substitute. We held an interactive livestream event and Q&A on May 8 with myself, cast members Zoe Ventoura, Kayla Radomski, Cale Ferrin, Harley Jane Kozak, and Gabrielle Baba-Conn, and producer Lissa Forehan.

If you are interested in watching the film and supporting my work, you can pre-order the DVD now onWolfeVideo.com, at: http://bit.ly/2GaIRPN and at: https://amzn.to/3aMqnm1.

‘More Beautiful For Having Been Broken’ movie poster

Nicole Conn is a writer and director, known for films like ‘Claire of the Moon’, ‘A Perfect Ending’, ‘Elena Undone’, and her latest, ‘More Beautiful for Having Been Broken’.

[This article was originally published on TheAdvocate.com and re-published here with permission from the author.]

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