蜜柚直播

Delfs, 62, was admitted to St. Mary鈥檚 Hospital on March 25 for what he thought was complications from his asthma. His family described the next several weeks as a fight for Larry鈥檚 life that at one point looked lost.

鈥淲e were told six times over the last 43 days that he wasn鈥檛 going to make it 24 hours,鈥� said Kourtney Trewern, Larry鈥檚 youngest daughter. 鈥淲e just continue to sink into our faith in God and just give him all the glory for all this because he has seen our dad through the last 43 days.鈥�

After being transferred to St. Joseph鈥檚 Hospital on March 26, Larry鈥檚 breathing began to worsen, and he developed respiratory failure, which required ventilation. With an extremely low blood oxygen level, Larry also suffered kidney damage and had to be put on dialysis. At the same time, he was also battling a high fever and plummeting blood pressure.

As Larry鈥檚 condition worsened, he was transferred back to St. Mary鈥檚 Hospital, where he works as a paramedic, for specialized care. On March 29, he was placed on an ECMO machine, which involves a circuit of pumps, tubes, filters and monitors that take over for the heart and lungs. It channeled Larry鈥檚 blood outside his body in order to add oxygen and remove waste before propelling it back into the circulation system.

鈥淚f we had not used the ECMO device when we did, Mr. Delfs may not be alive today,鈥� said Dr. Kapil Lotun, director of Carondelet鈥檚 cardiac cath lab.

By April 7, his youngest daughter鈥檚 birthday, Larry鈥檚 condition had begun to decline again. His wife, Kathy Delfs, who also experienced a mild form of COVID-19 while he was in the hospital, said this was one of the scariest days for the family.

鈥淭hey told us that his body was in shock and that they didn鈥檛 think he would survive the night. We were invited to the hospital that night to say goodbye,鈥� Kathy said through tears. 鈥淚 just remember crying out to God that night and saying: 鈥楬e belongs to you. And if I get him back, it鈥檚 because you give him back to me.鈥欌�夆��

In a rallying community effort, the 蜜柚直播 Fire Department and other 蜜柚直播ans gathered outside the hospital that day to stage a lights-and-sirens show to support Larry and his family. Within 24 hours, Larry鈥檚 vital signs began to improve.

After several ups and downs, Larry鈥檚 condition stabilized after three weeks on the ECMO device. Dr. Afshin Emami performed a tracheostomy on Larry after he had been intubated for 21 days, which helped contribute to his pulmonary recovery. Larry has since tested negative for COVID-19.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nothing short of miraculous. It鈥檚 just a miracle that he survived.鈥� Dr. Lotun said. 鈥淎ll the nurses, respiratory techs, and intensivists were the real heroes, at the bedside 24/7. Everybody involved just stepped up to really give him the best chance to survive.鈥�

This week, Larry was moved from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility to continue his recovery.

Even after being released from the hospital, Larry still has several weeks of recovery ahead of him. According to Kathy, Larry鈥檚 doctors are anticipating he鈥檒l need to stay at the rehab center for three to five weeks.

He is still on a ventilator and will need to breathe on his own and get his strength back before making the transition home.

Kathy said they are taking everything day by day and will rely on each other, as well as her faith, to get them through. Throughout this journey, the family has continuously referred to Larry as 鈥淪uperman,鈥� a nickname they say comes from his long history of saving the day.

鈥淚f his family needed something, he would put sweat, blood and tears to make sure it happened. And he鈥檚 basically the heart of not only our family, but also our extended family. He鈥檚 the first to go to help anybody who needs something. And so he鈥檚 just kind of adopted that name,鈥� Kathy said. 鈥淧lus, he鈥檚 really into superheroes. I think he is the typical, mild mannered, humble Clark Kent.鈥�

In addition to being an everyday hero for his family and friends, Larry also continued to serve his community until the day he got sick. Even after a 25-year stint with the 蜜柚直播 Fire Department, Larry came out of retirement after nine months to become a paramedic at St. Mary鈥檚. That was five years ago.

鈥淗is Superman name has kind of followed him into his job because he鈥檚 very good at what he does,鈥� Kathy said. 鈥淗e was always the first one that people would grab if they had a really critical incident when he was at work. He is very well thought of and respected there.鈥�

More than anything, Kathy and her daughters said they were grateful for the team of health-care workers and community members who rallied behind Larry and their family since the beginning.

鈥淲e just feel so humbled and so grateful for just everything they鈥檝e done along the journey. There was a beautiful show of community support, and not just for Larry, but just the community coming together, the health workers supporting each other, admiring each other for the wonderful, wonderful job that they did for him.鈥�