Gregg lived independently, enjoying an active lifestyle that included hunting, fishing, and working around his house. Life was fulfilling, and he relished his freedom. However, everything changed when Gregg was admitted to the hospital with respiratory failure secondary to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). His condition was so severe that he needed to be placed on a ventilator to breathe.
Mary Reynolds described her life prior to admission as “semi-retired.” Mary lived at home with her husband and enjoyed spending her free time knitting, walking, and housekeeping while working once per week. Then, one day, Mary began experiencing significant weakness and trouble breathing. After going to the hospital, she was admitted and diagnosed with sepsis due to an influenza A infection.
Experiencing shortness of breath one day, Jan admitted to Essentia Health-Fargo, where she was diagnosed with respiratory failure complicated by pneumonia and bilateral deep vein thrombosis. As a result, Jan was placed on a ventilator.
Dryden Thompson lived an active lifestyle, working a physical job as a lineman. This all came to a halt when he contracted West Nile Virus and suffered from brain and heart swelling.
