Laddonia resident Bob Mette is back on his feet and enjoying time with his family after recovering from COVID-19, a recovery process he says would not have been possible without Hannibal Regional Home Health. Bob recalls when he first began feeling sick: “it started with mild aches one evening and rapidly got worse. Within a day or two I developed a fever, chills, and fatigue.” On November 9, 2020 he had a telehealth appointment with his medical provider who quickly ordered a COVID-19 test. A few days later, Bob received a call that he was positive for COVID-19.
Bob’s health continued to deteriorate and after his second visit to the ER on November 18, he was admitted to the hospital. “I knew I was pretty sick when the physician immediately placed me in the ICU,” says Mette. After two and half weeks of trying to fight the virus, he could no longer breathe on his own and had to be placed on a ventilator. In addition to COVID he had also developed pneumonia, which made things even more challenging. “Just as soon as they thought his pneumonia cleared up they would stop the antibiotics but within two days it would come back with a vengeance,” recalls Bob’s wife Nancy.
The next few weeks saw no improvement, he was still on a ventilator and fighting for his life. It wasn’t until the end of January that he began to make any progress. On January 29, they started to wean him off the ventilator and by the second week of February he was able to be transferred to inpatient rehab. “Remember, he had been in the hospital for almost three months, he had lost 60 pounds and barely had the strength to lift a finger. Then on February 18 while I was visiting with Bob, he hinged his elbow, lifting his arm for the first time in quite a while. This was an exciting day for both of us, as that was far more than he had done previously!” shares Nancy.
As his health continued to improve it was time for the Mette’s to decide where Bob would go to continue his rehabilitation upon discharge from the hospital. When they learned home health was an option, it was an easy decision for Bob and Nancy. They were excited to know Bob could get the medical services he needed while in the comfort of their own home.
When Bob finally made it home on March 9 he couldn’t sit up on his own, he wasn’t even able to roll on to his side without assistance. Hannibal Regional’s Home Health team spent 16 weeks motivating, encouraging, and pushing him to get stronger. After four months of rehabilitation, Bob had gotten strong enough to do simple daily tasks, but life is still not back to the way it was before he got COVID. He walks with a cane and he’s still on oxygen due to the damage his lungs suffered while fighting this deadly virus. “I would like to thank Dustin Miles (PTA), Camil McCoy (OTA), and the rest of the home health team for being there for me in one of the most challenging times of my life, and getting me back on my feet. Words can’t even explain the gratitude and appreciation I have for each of you,” says Bob.
Hannibal Regional Homecare provides high quality, efficient care to their patients. They promote a safe, functional, and supportive environment of care through planning, implementing and evaluating results and treatment under medical supervision. To learn more about Hannibal Regional Home Health, call (573) 406-5780.