I have witnessed medical miracles, more than I can put on paper, but there is one that I would love to share.

In February of 2016, on my wife’s birthday we paid a visit to the hospital to seek care for complications she was experiencing from cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease she was born with. We were pregnant with our 5th child, our sweet little girl who was only 30 weeks in the womb. This routine visit, well routine for us, was turned into scene from a Hollywood movie just 4 short hours following our arrival to the hospital. My wife, Kerry, while doing her prescribed breathing treatment, broke a major blood vessel in her lungs. Literally, she sat there gasping for air, while drowning on her own blood. The blood just kept bubbling out of her mouth, there was no stopping it. Both she, and our unborn baby girl would go without any oxygen for an estimated 6-9 minutes before Kerry could be intubated and wheeled to the ICU. After hours and hours of trying to stabilize her, protect the baby, and make all attempts to save one or both lives, the doctors found a window to do an unplanned C-section to separate them from one another.

I now had two of my girls in two different ICUs. Seemed like we had reached a low time in this trauma. Both of my girls were placed on ventilators to deliver air to their lungs, countless IVs were connected to each of them, and their prognosis was stated as very guarded. I was reminded daily by a surgeon, who would eventually be the hand of God for our family, that Kerry’s time on earth could be measured in minutes and hours, not even in days or weeks.

  If it was possible to imagine, Kerry’s condition deteriorated overnight 4 days after her birthday, and after the beginning of this tragedy for us. Her lungs were unable to expel enough Carbon Dioxide and it was becoming a poison in her body. With lungs that had taken the damage her had taken, it wasn’t a surprise, but the conversation brought me to a new low. I was told to have the family come, as in her frail condition, there was a great concern for her to make it. The call was made by the surgeon that watched so closely over Kerry that ECMO was needed if she were to have a chance of making it through the night. What a long night that was......

  In just a short hour or so after the surgeon gave his parting words, he returned. The procedure was successful, but Kerry was still very sick. Kerry was moved to the Cardiovascular ICU, where there were specialists in ECMO, Doctors and nurses that that are trained to monitor every aspect of a patient’s wellbeing. They were kind, considerate, competent, compassionate, truly heroes to me. With two nurses simultaneously watching over my wife, I knew her chances of survival were at a high with the care I was witnessing. Each hour they tested her labs, made adjustment, and were willing to share details with me. I have a medical background, and therefore wanted to know. I also wanted to be there. They were fantastic, especially for a grieving husband and father. I felt comfortable to visit another floor, another ICU, so I could spend time with my daughter. I knew Kerry was in capable and compassionate hands.

  Kerry was on ECMO for an extended period of time, longer than projected, but her body - specifically her ailing lungs, were not healing quickly. Initially the doctor estimated that Kerry would be on ECMO for 7 to 10 days. This was the marker for success. We were warned that exceeding the 10 day mark was not likely and could actually indicate greater complications… Well, let me fast forward 3 weeks, yes 21 days later and after Kerry was walking while on the ECMO machine. Kerry was removed from ECMO in a successful procedure, and was walking, talking, and holding our new baby girl. We underwent therapy, physical strengthening, breathing exercises, and eventually departed from the ICU. Our time in the hospital, for both of my girls was over 90 days, each. I don’t regret a single day either. I was able to take them home, and to bring our newest member to see her siblings and their momma to bring our family back together.

  ECMO was truly a lifesaving procedure in ‘our world’. I know how it feels to have a loved one in need of machines to sustain life. I know how it feels to hear the explanation from the doctors. I know how it feels to see the love of your life hanging on by a thread. I know how it feels to see nurses working 24 hours a day, intensively on your loved one. I also know the great success that all of this can produce. I still thank God for this procedure, for the doctors, nurses, and skilled and caring staff.

In the months to come, Kerry would undergo a bilateral lung transplant, but not because of the damage from above, but from the disease she was born with. We returned to our life, and too our children. Kerry’s lung function increased from 17% to an estimated 130%! She breaths better now than at any time in the preceding 40 years. Just shy of two years following ECMO, our baby girl Gracie Ann passed from this world and into the eternity we are promised. While this is a certainly a bump in the road for us, we were thankful for the time we had with her. Our 4 other children have their mom, and for that, we are eternally grateful. We give thanks to the lifesaving doctors and nurses that acted as our Lords hand on earth. Thank you.

 ~ Jeremy Lustig 

Hi, this is Kerry Lustig (Jeremy’s wife) and the ECMO patient. I don’t remember a lot about being on ECMO.  I was on a lot of medications, that allowed my damaged lungs to rest. I even kept asking Jeremy over and over and over again, if our baby Gracie Ann had been born yet. I was 30 weeks pregnant with our baby girl, when I stopped breathing. 

 When I was on ECMO, one thing I do remember was that there were always 2 well-trained nurses in my room, watching me and watching the ECMO machine, closely, day and night. Even at shift changes, I was never alone. This brought me to the conclusion (in all my haziness) that this machine must be pretty important!  

  Each and every day, without fail, my most amazing and caring lung surgeon, would come into my room, and bid a good morning to my husband.  Then this doctor would put his arm around Jeremy‘s neck, and so kindly and gently say to him ... “No promises today, Jeremy. Your wife, is by far the sickest patient in this hospital.”

Gracie Ann suffered a brain bleed when i stopped breathing on my birthday February 26, 2016. With our Lord’s Hand, Gracie Ann still beat all of the odds.....breathing without assistance, drinking from a bottle, eating baby food orally, but she had severe brain damage and so many diagnoses, that were all terminal. Jeremy abd i got all of the help that could possibly help her and fervently prayed to our Lord as we had for all of my/our life. Her most noticeable diagnosis was “intractable epilepsy” which put her in a constant seizure most of her waking hours. We had therapy and medications and doctors, etc..... With these seizures, she ended up needing a feeding tube in late January, 2017. Almost exactly 1 year later, Jesus came and took her to Heaven on February 9, 2018. We had called 911 that morning because her breathing was labored, even though she was on oxygen now 24/7. Jeremy rode in the ambulance with her, but i couldn’t go. She suffered cardio-pulmonary arrest and ran into the Arms of Jesus at 1:24pm that afternoon. 

Honestly my entire life has been a testament to God. God gave me life and gave me health, He gave me a wonderful husband and children!!! Oh my goodness, all i ever wanted to be was a mom. He showered me with an abundance of Love and blessings. On February 27, 2016.....my Father put ME  in the exact place i needed to be when i stopped breathing and He blessed me with the technology of ECMO. It truly truly was, the turning point that allowed me to live. 

Without ECMO supporting my sick lungs, I know, without a doubt, that I would have NEVER made it to transplant.  ECMO breathed for me, when my sick lungs could not. It oxygenated my blood, when my body was too sick to do so. ECMO saved my life, and for that, I am eternally grateful to my doctors, for putting me on ECMO, and making it possible for our Lord Jesus to bless me with new life. 

  I can be a wife again. I can be a mommy to our 5 kids again. I can breathe again.  Breathing the best God is Good.

~ Kerry Lustig