Providence Journal: A patient’s story near death

May 9, 2020

From Mark Patinkin at the Providence Journal:

So far, more than 90 patients have been placed on ventilators at Rhode Island Hospital and Lifespan’s other properties.

Rich Santello was among the first. Around half the respirator patients have died, a bleak mortality rate, but improved since Rich was admitted in late March. Nationally, back then, the COVID death rate on vents was 80%.

Rich would be in hospitals for a month. Through most of it, Laurie tried to prepare herself for the unthinkable.

But he survived.