Early on, the medical team told Jacqui that her husband might be on the ventilator three to five days. But so much about this new virus remained unknown. They consulted with doctors across the country and across the state.
As Wood approached his first week on the ventilator, his medical team wanted to try removing him from it. His X-rays looked better, his oxygen saturation improved.
But his body could not handle breathing on its own.
More time, more loneliness, more fear. Jacqui saw on the news that the average COVID-19 patient was staying on a ventilator closer to eight to 11 days. She figured that if he went more than 11 days, she’d panic more.
On day 10, a Monday, his doctor tried again to wean him.
This time, his lungs responded. He no longer needed the ventilator.
His overnight nurse got him out of bed and into a chair. The nurse took a picture around 4 a.m. and texted it to Jacqui.
The next day, his nurse called Jacqui on FaceTime so she could see her husband. Wood could barely get his hand to his mouth. His throat was too raw to speak. But he could answer yes and no.
He was in there. He would be OK. They would all be OK.
Bishop Steve Wood was on a ventilator, fighting COVID-19, for 10 days.
And lived to realize it.https://t.co/dPbeT3fUYy
— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) April 19, 2020