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Transporting a patient on ECMO is an incredibly risky procedure, but we knew it was the only chance Scarlett had left. Within 24 hours, we received insurance approval for an air transfer, and the following day, Dr. Kays and his team flew to Cincinnati to transport Scarlett to Florida. Due to the size of the plane and the equipment required, Patrick and I were unable to join her on the flight. It was one of the hardest things we’ve ever had to do, but we knew it was necessary to get her to where she needed to be. We immediately began the 14-hour drive to St. Petersburg, and we arrived the following day, eager to be reunited with our daughter.
Scarlett spent another 25 days on ECMO after arriving at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. But on August 9, 2020, after a total of 67 days on ECMO, Scarlett was finally weaned off the machine. It was a huge milestone, and we were filled with hope. The next day, she underwent surgery to remove the cannulas from her neck, and on August 17, we were finally able to hold her in our arms for the first time. It was a moment I will never forget—the feeling of having my daughter in my arms after everything she had been through was indescribable.
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