Benton, Ark. – Rhonda Withem’s family was ready to say goodbye after making the tough decision to get her out of the fan that kept her breathing while fighting COVID-19.
Doctors said Withem would probably only live a few hours without the ventilator, but when they removed it it looked like it would “come to life,” daughter Nicole Brewer told CNN.
Brewer, her sister and brother-in-law were looking through a glass door on Nov. 29 when staff at Saline Memorial Hospital in Benton, Arkansas, pulled her out of the machine.
“When they took it all out, he started waking up and saw my sister and [was] raising his hand to shake us, ”Brewer said.
Brewer said he could see Withem trying to make them smile.
Withem, 62, had tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 7 and was quarantined at home.
At first, he only had headaches, coughing and congestion, Brewer said. But her condition worsened and she was hospitalized a week later and the fan was immediately put on.
Withem did not respond to efforts to wean her from the machine, and after nearly two weeks, her doctor said she could never breathe on her own again, Brewer said.
The hospital staff let the family wait outside the room, so they would be close to what they hoped would be their last moments.
Seeing Withem shake and smile gave hope to the family, but they still didn’t know if he would make it.
Withem kept getting stronger and for the next few days he was able to leave the ICU in a regular COVID-19 room, his daughter Rebekah Goshien told CNN.
At first, she was a little confused after being sedated for so long, but she was able to hold FaceTime conversations with her daughters and grandchildren.
December 10 – Goshien’s Birthday – Goshien was able to see his mother and give her a big hug. Withem had moved to a rehab room to increase his strength after being in bed for so long.
“I was the first one to go see her, so it was a good birthday present for me,” Goshien said.
Withem can now have one visitor a day, so the sisters see each other again for her.
Goshien saw her on Friday and said she had gotten up five times during the therapy session, which was a big improvement over the previous day.
He is now pushing himself in a wheelchair to increase the strength of his arms and play bingo in therapy so he can practice moving his elbows and increase his sitting resistance.
Goshien said his mother has also been doing word search puzzles and that he can use his phone.
Withem has lived in Benton all his life and the family credits the prayers of the community and their loved ones for their recovery.
“My family has seen a miracle … and it’s all glory and all for God,” Goshien said.
The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help Withem pay his medical bills and other expenses.