Alejandro Castro contracted COVID-19 in December 2020. After spending 299 days at Providence Portland Medical Center, he went home. The 43-year-old Sandy man was on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, for 108 of those days, the longest time ever for a patient at Providence Portland.
Jason Wells, M.D., ECMO medical director, says the device and treatment essentially act as a “full lung bypass,” taking blood out of the body, and doing all the work for the lungs.
Without it, Alejandro would have died. Now, he’s home, in time for his 22nd wedding anniversary.
"I feel happy to see all my family," Alejandro said. His wife said Alejandro may never be 100% again, “but he will be with us.”
There was an outpouring of emotion from clapping and cheering caregivers as Alejandro made his last trip through the hospital on his way home. Javiera Pobanz, RN, says so many caregivers fought for Alejandro, and he fought for himself, as well.
"We've seen a lot of death, we've seen a lot of suffering from COVID,” says Javiera. “And just to know that all the work that we did, that was worth it.”
Thanks to donor support, Providence Portland now has two new ECMO machines as well as a blood transfusion warmer, making it possible to maintain three COVID-19 patients on support simultaneously.
Watch local news coverage:
CBS News Profile of Alejandro:
COVID patient goes home after 299 days and shares his journey - YouTube
