McALLEN — As COVID-19 cases began to rise again over the summer, Jesus Gallegos was among those who got infected. However, his symptoms grew severe, resulting in a trip to the hospital. More than four months later, he was finally discharged.
After spending 142 days there, Gallegos left South Texas Health System McAllen on Thursday to rejoin his wife and three children at home.
Gallegos, 38, wore a broad smile as he rolled out of the hospital on a stretcher to the tune of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin,’” family and friends cheering him on as he was led to the ambulance that would drive him home.
“We’re more than excited and happy to have him home,” said his wife, Yudith Gallegos, who is currently pregnant with the couple’s fourth child.
When Jesus Gallegos first became sick, he developed a cough and a fever, Yudith said. But then his oxygen levels began to drop so they decided to go to the hospital. He was admitted on July 20 and just a few days later, on July 22, he was transferred to the intensive care unit.
Edgar Urquiza, a registered nurse at the ICU, looked after Jesse from the very beginning of his stay.
“I met him on the COVID floor,” Urquiza said. “Well, the moment I saw him, I saw him extremely sick.”
Urquiza explained that Gallegos had what’s called pneumothoraces which means that his lungs had ruptured.
“Air was leaking around his skin, it was closing his airway, (and) I had to advocate for him to get him off that floor into the ICU immediately,” Urquiza said. “From there, of course, he got a lot sicker, required chest tubes. The next day, when I had him again, we were required to put him on full life support.”
That Gallegos was hospitalized for as long as he was is remarkable since many COVID patients die by the third or fourth of their hospitalization.
“The fact that he hung on and survived this was wonderful and getting to see him go home — amazing,” Urquiza said. “I’m just very happy that he gets to go home to his family, to see his new baby, to be with his wife.”
Gallegos was not vaccinated against COVID when he got sick but Yudith said she hopes others do get vaccinated to prevent going through an experience like theirs.
“We went through it so we know what it feels like and there’s been so many families that have lost a loved one because of this,” she said. “If you can get vaccinated, get vaccinated; it’s better than risking your life.”
Being away from home for so long was hard for Gallegos’ children who are really attached to their father, Yudith said. It also affected the family financially since Gallegos is the main provider of the household.
Healthwise, even though he was stable enough to return home, Gallegos still requires the use of a ventilator and will likely continue to need a ventilator unless he receives a lung transplant, according to Urquiza.
“They think he’s a candidate for getting a lung transplant so we’re in the process of that to see if he does need it or his lungs could get better,” Yudith said.
The ordeal was a tough one for the family and continues to present its obstacles; however, Yudith said she remains firm in her faith.
“We believe that with time he’s going to get better,” she said. “I know I got this and God’s on our side and everything’s going to be OK.”
View the full photo gallery by Monitor photojournalist Joel Martinez here:
Photo Gallery: After months in hospital, COVID-19 patient finally returns home
