Merlin Pambuan, an ICU nurse, beat the odds of her eight-month ordeal with COVID-19 by walking out the front door this week of St.
Mary Medical Center, the Long Beach, California hospital where she has worked for the past 40 years.
This report produced by Yahaira Jacquez.
It was an emotional moment as nurse Merlin Pambuan was applauded by co-workers as she made her exit this week after eight months of being treated for COVID-19 at St.
Mary Medical Center - the Long Beach, California hospital where she has worked for the past 40 years.
Pambuan was brought to tears as she hugged the doctor and other healthcare workers who helped bring her back from a harrowing situation.
"I'm thankful.
This is my second life." In a tragic role reversal, Pambuan, a veteran intensive care unit nurse, who had been caring for COVID patients, was admitted to St.
Mary's ICU in the Spring.
The 66-year-old was rendered unconscious by paralysis-inducing sedation and placed on a ventilator to breathe.
A feeding tube was later inserted.
Her situation was often dire, said attending physician, Dr. Maged Tanios.
"At multiple times, she was very near death.
I would say this happened at least half a dozen times that she was very near death.
We had a hard time keeping her oxygen compatible with life and we had to use a lot of other treatment that improved her oxygen." By the time she awoke and could breathe on her own again, Pambuan was too weak to stand.
But fought back and struggled through weeks of painful therapy to regain her strength... Now Pambuan is finally home, where she will continue her recuperation.
When or if she will return to work in the ICU remains an open question but in the meantime, Pambuan said she feels indebted to her co-workers for their care.
Her message to others in her shoes: "Don't lose hope.
Just fight.
Fight, because look at me.
I'm going home and I'm walking."
