In Pennsylvania, one very thankful mom was finally able to reunite with her family for Thanksgiving, after fighting Covid-19 complications for seven months. Marissa Fuentes worked diligently through the final step of her recovery, in order to be there for her newborn’s first Thanksgiving.
When Fuentes was first admitted to the hospital with Covid-19, she was 32 weeks pregnant. To ensure a safe delivery, an emergency c-section was performed. Since then, she has not been home with her newborn, husband, and daughter.
Fuentes’ Covid-19 Complications
Fuentes contracted Covid-19 back in April of 2021, right at the end of her pregnancy. Can you imagine carrying a baby for nine months, and then fighting Covid for an additional seven?
Well, that’s exactly what this mom had to do, according to ABC7.
After a battle with COVID-19, Marissa Fuentes then contracted severe pneumonia, had lung failure and was put on a ECMO machine for five-and-a-half months. https://t.co/VDcn2nUqNm
— Action News on 6abc (@6abc) November 26, 2021
Fuentes battled severe pneumonia and lung failure, which required her to be put on an ECMO machine (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). Which essentially mimics the function of one’s lungs and heart.
For five-and-a-half months, Fuentes survived by the grace of this machine, away from her family. Fighting every single day just to breathe.
Then, the real work began.
A Rehab Goal Set
Eventually, after being scooted around to a number of Pennsylvania hospitals, Fuentes landed at the Bryn Mawr Rehab facility. This is where she would spend two months recovering from the traumatic experience her body had just undergone.
Marissa Fuentes from Havertown #Pennsylvania was 32 wks pregnant when she was placed on life support due to COVID. 7 months later she returned home to her family, including her infant son, who was safely delivered via emergency c-section #TheySurvivedCovid https://t.co/hejTKQSjG4 pic.twitter.com/zs2bXLZp2k
— Cleavon MD ? ? ? (@Cleavon_MD) November 25, 2021
“I told Bryn Mawr Rehab that I was very determined to get home for the holidays, so they made it happen and they pushed me every day so I could get stronger and get home in time for Thanksgiving,” Fuentes told ABC7.
Meanwhile, her husband, Adrian Fuentes, manned the ship at home.
“It’s surreal. For seven months and five days, it was just me and the kids here,” Adrian recounted. “And it was such a lonely feeling every single day. It was horrible coming home every day and not having (Marissa) here.”
Marissa Beats Covid and Makes It Home
Despite this severe seven-month trial with Covid-19 complications, Marissa Fuentes made her goal a reality. She walked out of rehab in time for Thanksgiving, through a huge crowd of friends, loved ones, and hospital staff.
A Chester Co. woman reunited with her family after fighting COVID and it’s aftermath for 7.5 months in the hospital. She was released from rehab yesterday and reunited with her family (and newborn son) in time for Thanksgiving ?? @6abc pic.twitter.com/TpEnaAEG6R
— Jaclyn Lee (@JaclynLeeTV) November 25, 2021
“I’m not only thankful for my kids and my husband every day, but especially today to be with them,” said Fuentes.
While Marissa isn’t completely out of the woods and is still on oxygen, she now gets to continue her recovery with her family.
Were you aware that Covid-19 complications could take this long to battle through? Have you had a similar struggle with Covid? Let us know in the comments below.
