CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — After 27 days in the hospital, a 67-year-old man was discharged from an Iowa hospital with a round of applause after beating COVID-19.
Alan Stolba was admitted to Mercy Cedar Rapids on March 20 as the first COVID-19 patient to receive inpatient care at Mercy. He began experiencing COVID-like symptoms while returning from Kansas City on his trucking route. His co-worker drove the rig the rest of the way home to Cedar Rapids.
After coming to Mercy by ambulance, Alan spent eight days on a ventilator and in a medically induced coma. But, for the last nine days, he's been on Mercy's Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, working with speech, occupational and physical therapists to regain his strength, according to a social media post from the hospital.
Alan says he's grateful for the care he received and is looking forward to eventually going back to work. His goal upon returning home was to take a nice, long nap.
More COVID-19 patients have been discharged from the center as well, with the staff clapping out the individuals in the hall.