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Covid-19 patient recovering after 65-day hospitalization

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GMHC employees lined the hallways cheering as Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" echoed throughout, bidding farewell to Royce Hansel as he exited the hospital after a 65-day stay recovering from complications caused by COVID-19. (Press photo by Caroline Rosacker)

By Caroline Rosacker

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly placed an unprecedented strain on healthcare in hospitals, intensive care units, clinics and long-term care facilities worldwide. As the pandemic escalated, determining the need for healthcare resources such as beds, staff, and equipment became a top priority. Healthcare institutions also needed to project future demands that required estimates of how long a patient with COVID-19 may need in-patient care.

Royce Hansel of Elkader spent 65 days at the Guttenberg Municipal Hospital & Clinics (GMHC) recovering from complications caused by the coronavirus. The 76-year-old was recently discharged, and is happy to be home. Royce and his wife, Janan, have been married for 51 years. The couple has three living children and one deceased, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Royce is a retired laborer and enjoys reading, gardening, hunting and fishing in his spare time. 

On Nov. 6, 2020, Royce started to experience mild COVID-19 symptoms that continued to worsen. He shared,  "Two days later on Nov. 8, I went to the Emergency Room (ER) and was given steroids and returned home. On Nov. 11, I went back to the ER because I was experiencing trouble breathing. I had a fever and pneumonia and was admitted to the Guttenberg Municipal Hospital."

Respiratory staff worked with Royce day and night to keep him breathing. "The hospital staff administered a Plasma COVID-19 cocktail BiPap chest belt to keep my lungs moving with a high volume of oxygen. The nurses, doctors, and respiratory and physical therapy departments never gave up on looking for more ways to help me," he said. 

"It is difficult to pick one staff member that went above and beyond, but Amy, in respiratory therapy, really went the extra mile. It was definitely a group effort of all departments working together to save my life," he said with gratitude. 

Royce is extremely grateful for the excellent care he received during his 65-day stay. He is also grateful to be back in his own home. "It's wonderful to be back home with my wife and family." He commented. "It's a little scary not having all the staff here, because I am still having trouble breathing when I am up and moving around." 

Royce and Janan can't say enough about the wonderful staff and top-notch care Royce received during his lengthy stay. He concluded, "All the staff made me feel like my life really mattered. They treated me just like someone would treat a family member – not like just another patient. The doctors and nurses always kept my family updated on treatments and changing conditions,  the hospital ER is very well equipped for traumas and almost any kind of health issues."

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