At first, then-52-year-old Matt Umberger of Albany, Oregon didn’t think much of his flu-like symptoms that October 6th, 2020 morning. “I’d been doing research on COVID,” he says. “I thought that it was severely overblown.” After testing positive for COVID-19 on October 12, he thought he could ride out the storm at home, but his temperature had spiked to 104.1 degrees and, by October 15, he could hardly breathe. At that point, hospitalization was his only option. Though he’s struggled, his team’s support and his own hard work have paid off.*

‘Tell My Wife I Love Her and My Kids, Too’

The critically ill Umberger went to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. After leaving him at the emergency room, his wife wouldn’t see him again for 26 days, eight of which he spent on a ventilator.

In an interview with Samaritan Health Services, Umberger says he knew his odds of coming off the ventilator alive were slim. He recalls telling the nurse to be sure his family knew that he loved them. He also remembers his nurse speaking his family’s words of encouragement softly into his ear. It paid off. 

Though Umberger could breathe a sigh of relief, his pulmonologist was quick to warn that “the easy part was over” and the rest of his journey to recovery was just beginning.

In It for the Long Haul

Matt Umberger’s recovery from COVID-19 spanned nearly a year. He was now one of the estimated 15%-80% of COVID-19 patients—even those who are asymptomatic—who could experience new, lingering, or recurring symptoms for at least one month after initial infection.

Before bringing him home on November 10, his wife was given a crash course in supplemental oxygen. She wasn’t prepared for the responsibility of keeping him alive. Once at home, “one of the hardest things to do was get from the car to the couch,” Umberger said, but he was committed to getting better.

His initial recovery was difficult. He was down 60 pounds, his legs were weak, and he needed help walking. For several weeks, he was reliant on oxygen. He says he “felt like a 95-year-old man.” To cope, his care team had told him to recognize the small victories, like being able to make one walk down the hallway unassisted over the course of a day. The victories were small for about the first 2.5 months before he was able to begin pulmonary rehabilitation, where things began to really turn brighter.

After physical therapy and then working out on his own, Umberger was able to rebuild his strength and begin reclaiming his independence. He continued to receive pulmonary care, taking medication to repair COVID-related lung damage. Some activities still lowered his oxygen level and left him winded, but he was able to resume work in January 2021, and hobbies like fishing that spring.

He says he feels like his age again, though still not 100% as of the interview.

Vaccination Important

The fact that Umberger not only survived being critically ill but is now near 100% capacity, without supplemental oxygen, is a credit to his care team, spirit, and supportive family, said Brian Delmonaco, M.D., Critical Care Director at Good Samaritan.

Grateful to be alive, Umberger took advantage of the vaccine as soon as he was eligible. He and Delmonaco hope his story will motivate others to do the same. “If I had a time machine and could go back in time and advise people how not to get sick from COVID and do their best to prevent being hospitalized from COVID,” said Delmonaco, “I would say ‘get a vaccine.’”

Early research has shown a decrease in Long COVID symptoms with COVID-19 vaccination.

There is also evidence that vaccination after contracting COVID-19 may reduce Long COVID risk.

*American Hospital Association. (n.d.). Patient Shares Long COVID-19 Recovery Journey and Encourages Vaccination. https://www.aha.org/vaccine-stories/patient-shares-long-covid-19-recovery-journey-and-encourages-vaccination