Stephen Soltwedel

Welcome to Steve's CaringBridge website. 
 On February 9, 2021,  Steve tested positive for COVID-19, and was admitted to the Hospital on February 15.    He was in Minocqua Marshfield Hospital for 12 days before being intubated and transferred via helicopter to Marshfield Medical Center ICU on February 28.  He was in severe critical condition for many days, but was luckily extubated (breathing tube removed) on March 5.  He was slowly recovering, but then took a step backwards, and was reintubated on March 15 with severe ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) and severe kidney injury, and then required a tracheostomy on March 22, as well as regular MWF dialysis.  On April 7, he was transferred to a Long-Term-Acute-Care-Hospital called  Select Specialty Hospital in Madison, WI.  There, they were able to successfully wean him off the ventilator and decannulate him (remove tracheostomy). On August 3, after 168 days in a hospital, he was transferred to a Skilled Nursing Facility in Rhinelander, WI, where he continued to recover, relearn to stand/walk, and to get well enough to go home. After a long 6 months, he finally went HOME to St Germain on January 12, 2022. Thank you to the HUNDREDS of health care workers, and all of our family and friends that have been there for Dad, and for us, throughout this journey.