man-fighting-covid-19-goes-home-after-118-days

Man fighting COVID-19 goes home after 118 days

Lifestyle

A Raytown man who beat the odds finally went home after 118 days in the hospital. Darell Slater has been fighting complications from COVID-19 since July. With signs in hand, family members anxiously awaited a moment they had worried might never come. “There were times, yeah absolutely, we didn’t know that we would be here,” said Kim Cochran, Slater’s daughter. Slater, 71, was diagnosed with COVID-19 in July and has been in the fight of his life ever since.”After a week of being on the vent at St. Luke’s East, they had to transport him to St. Luke’s on the Plaza for ECMO, which is a form of life support,” Cochran said. He was on a ventilator for 96 days and given a 5% chance of survival. “They said he just wasn’t turning the corner. He wasn’t getting better,” Cochran said. “At one point, they kind of faced us with the decision of having to turn off all the life support.”Amazingly, he defied the odds and began to recover. Slater spent the last two weeks at MidAmerica Rehabilitation Hospital in Overland Park. Now, 118 days after he was first hospitalized, his family calls this moment a miracle. As the doors opened, he was wheeled out to cheers and applause from family and staff. “Getting him home after 118 days when we never thought we would see this has just been very emotional,” Cochran said. MidAmerica Rehabilitation Hospital has helped several COVID-19 patients recover. “To see them, you know, be able to have a remarkable recovery in those couple weeks and be able to return back home and get back to the living that they want to do is amazing,” said CEO Tiffany Kiehl. “It’s what inspires each of us every day to continue doing what we do.”Slater’s family hopes his story sends a message to others still fighting. “Never give up hope and keep the faith,” Cochran said. “Anything is possible and he’s living proof.”

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. —

A Raytown man who beat the odds finally went home after 118 days in the hospital. Darell Slater has been fighting complications from COVID-19 since July.

With signs in hand, family members anxiously awaited a moment they had worried might never come.

“There were times, yeah absolutely, we didn’t know that we would be here,” said Kim Cochran, Slater’s daughter.

Slater, 71, was diagnosed with COVID-19 in July and has been in the fight of his life ever since.

“After a week of being on the vent at St. Luke’s East, they had to transport him to St. Luke’s on the Plaza for ECMO, which is a form of life support,” Cochran said.

He was on a ventilator for 96 days and given a 5% chance of survival.

“They said he just wasn’t turning the corner. He wasn’t getting better,” Cochran said. “At one point, they kind of faced us with the decision of having to turn off all the life support.”

Amazingly, he defied the odds and began to recover. Slater spent the last two weeks at MidAmerica Rehabilitation Hospital in Overland Park. Now, 118 days after he was first hospitalized, his family calls this moment a miracle. As the doors opened, he was wheeled out to cheers and applause from family and staff.

“Getting him home after 118 days when we never thought we would see this has just been very emotional,” Cochran said.

MidAmerica Rehabilitation Hospital has helped several COVID-19 patients recover.

“To see them, you know, be able to have a remarkable recovery in those couple weeks and be able to return back home and get back to the living that they want to do is amazing,” said CEO Tiffany Kiehl. “It’s what inspires each of us every day to continue doing what we do.”

Slater’s family hopes his story sends a message to others still fighting.

“Never give up hope and keep the faith,” Cochran said. “Anything is possible and he’s living proof.”