NMMC celebrates discharge of first COVID-19 ventilator patient

A coronavirus patient celebrated a big milestone in her recovery.

Maggie Carroll was the first patient at North Mississippi Medical Center to be extubated from a ventilator and discharged from the hospital.

Caroll was admitted to the hospital on March 26 after having tightness in her chest.

On March 28, she was then placed on a ventilator as her condition became worse.

“I really don’t remember much about it,” described Carroll. “I stayed confused a lot of the time. The doctors and nurses kept my sisters, Kim and Linda, informed because no one could stay with me.”

Caroll went on to spend 13 days on the ventilator.

On April 16, NMMC staff lined the hallway to celebrate as Caroll was discharged from the COVID-19 unit.

“It was wonderful watching everybody cheering me on. I couldn’t do anything but cry,” she said. “I was so happy to be going home, and I realized how sick I had been. I was amazed at the staff—what an awesome team!”

Carroll is continuing to recover from the virus at home. While Carroll still doesn’t know how she contracted COVID-19, she certainly knows how she recovered.

“I thank God I made it through,” she said. “I have to give Him all the praise. God worked through the doctor. They said I was a miracle. If it wasn’t for Him, I wouldn’t be here.”