{"id":31362,"date":"2020-04-28T11:07:46","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T17:07:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=31362"},"modified":"2021-01-21T09:08:25","modified_gmt":"2021-01-21T16:08:25","slug":"colorados-first-convalescent-plasma-recipient-leaves-icu-after-34-days-on-ventilator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/colorados-first-convalescent-plasma-recipient-leaves-icu-after-34-days-on-ventilator\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Huge’ milestone: Colorado’s first convalescent plasma recipient leaves ICU after 34 days on a ventilator"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dr. Michael Leonard, the first convalescent plasma recipient in Colorado, had been on a ventilator for 34 days. On Monday, he stood up and waved to his wife, son and dog outside the 2nd floor window of his ICU room. Helping him stand were his physical therapist, Matt Crow, left, and his occupational therapist, Julia Smith. Photo by Sayde Smith for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first COVID-19 patient to receive convalescent plasma in Colorado achieved a \u201chuge\u201d milestone this week, getting off a ventilator after 34 days and standing up on Monday to wave from his hospital window to his wife, son and dog outside.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Michael Leonard well before he contracted COVID-19. Michael and Meg Leonard walked their daughter, Dr. Molly Leonard, down the aisle at her wedding in 2017. Leonard, who was the first convalescent plasma recipient in Colorado thanks to his daughter’s efforts, recently got out of the ICU. Photo courtesy of the Leonard family.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Learn more:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Earlier coverage: Critically ill Evergreen man first in Colorado to receive ‘convalescent plasma’ to help fight COVID-19<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Interested in donating plasma? Click here<\/a> to get more details.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For all updates and to read more articles about the new coronavirus, please visit uchealth.org\/covid19<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dr. Michael Leonard, 68, had been one of the most critically ill patients at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a>. He arrived struggling to breathe on March 24 and told his doctors he needed to be intubated. Previously, the Evergreen anesthesiologist and health care consultant had been healthy and active with no preexisting conditions. But in early March, he traveled extensively around the country, advising hospital leaders on safety and reliability. Then, he was stricken himself.<\/p>\n

Standing, waving and a \u2018good boy\u2019 for the dog<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Michael\u2019s wife and family had not been able to see him \u2013 except through FaceTime visits \u2013 since Meg brought him to the hospital back in March.<\/p>\n

On Monday, that finally changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoney, we love you so much. It\u2019s just so great to see your face,\u201d Michael\u2019s wife, Meg told him over a FaceTime call as she waved from the ground up to Michael\u2019s second floor window in one of the hospital\u2019s COVID-19 Intensive Care Units.<\/p>\n

Meg held up a poster with a big red heart on it.<\/p>\n