MONROE, La. – For Doug Bice, the last 45 days have been the fight of his life against COVID-19, but on Thursday afternoon he said goodbye to St. Francis and hello to his family and friends.
“When I came here and all this started I didn’t have a clue that I may never see them again,” he said.
Family, friends and staff at St. Francis Medical Center celebrated Bice’s recovery with homemade signs, cheers, and bear hugs from his wife and daughter.
Bice is the second COVID-19 survivor discharged from the rehab unit at St. Francis Medical Center.
Day in and day out he worked with nurses and therapists to recover.
“The progress he’s made in the last two weeks has really been remarkable,” said Dr. Richard Kamm, Pulmonary and Critical Care physician. “He’s going to have weeks of outpatient rehab ahead of him, but the progress he’s made over the last two to three weeks has really been phenomenal. I think if anyone is going to do it, it’s going to be Mr. Bice.”
Amanda Duke was one of his nurses who helped him through some of his toughest days.
“It’s amazing to see our patients come in the way they do and to leave like he did it was just awesome,” she said.
As he heads home to catch up on missed time, he said he’s looking forward to the little things.
