Jose and I celebrated fifteen years of marriage on June 10. On June 11, the one year anniversary of Jose coming off ECMO, we went to Portland to thank the NTICU staff in person. It was wonderful to see them again! I love that those anniversaries will be side by side, forever. We also hiked up Spencer Butte, which is about 1 mile and 750 feet of elevation gain to the top. Earlier this month, we went to Crater Lake. It was Jose's first time down to the lake (and back up!) which is similar in difficulty level to Spencer Butte.

Yesterday was Jose's first day back at work! When he was sick and I didn't know what the outcome would be, I started the long-term disability process through the VA. It's a long process to get on long-term disability and also to come off it. Jose's been ready to go back to work for several months, and everything finally came together.

Recovery was not easy, and the fact Jose survived when many have lost their lives due to covid is not taken lightly by us. It has changed me profoundly, and I think I'm a better wife, Christian, and nurse for having gone through this experience. I've been working on a big project for the past several months. I've also been involved with Legacy Emanuel's weekly support calls on Zoom. I have met the most wonderful people, both during and after our ECMO journey, and it's been my honor to come alongside them.

Covid is surging in many areas of the country, and my heart is heavy. The covid mortality rate fluctuates, and it's worse during a surge. Hospitals and employees are overwhelmed, struggling to accommodate covid patients on top of the patients we normally have.

Have a pulse oximeter so you can monitor yourself for complications. This saved Jose's life. If it's not in your budget, I will gladly buy one for you.
Consider the vaccine. Discuss it with your provider. I realize there are risks to everything, but the risks of the vaccine are far lower than the risks of covid. My 16-bed ICU has become the covid ICU, and we're seeing younger patients than ever before. All but one are unvaccinated, and all are incredibly sick. There are no ECMO beds available for them.
Wear masks in public places.
Take Vitamin D or have your level checked. It plays an important role in the immune system.
Life is fragile. Love one another