Cordell native Scott Hines, who has been battling COVID-19 and has been hospitalized for more than two months, was able to make his first, very brief phone call last Friday (Sept. 18) and is doing good, his wife said.
“He’s making a little bit of progress each day and he’s off two machines,” Becky Hines, Scott’s wife, said in a recent interview.
“They took him off the ECMO machine last Sunday (Sept. 13) and the ventilator on Tuesday, Sept. 15,” she added.
He hasn’t been to talk since they placed a trach in him earlier during his lengthy hospital stay. “They changed his trach to a smaller size,” Becky said.
“The speaking valve is where Scott can use it but right now it’s only a couple of minutes a day,” Becky explained.
His call to her came while Becky was en route to see him at the hospital in Oklahoma City.
She stressed, “He’s still in ICU. But they’ll probably be moving him soon,” she thinks.
“The doctors want to make sure he’s doing ok with the oxygen. He’s still on oxygen, but he’s actually breathing on his own,” she added.
“They are doing a tiny bit more each day with the Physical Therapy. They brought in a chair and had him use a walker to get to the chair where he sat a few hours. Then he had to use the walker to get back over to the bed, too,” she stated.
Her husband continues to gain strength each day and that will allow him to become stronger, she believes.
“When he stands, he says it feels like he has about 300 pounds on his back and shoulders,” she said. Becky firmly believes, “he’s definitely making progress.”
“I think he’s finally turned the corner with this thing towards making recovery,” she thinks.
However, she cautions, “We don’t know the impact on his lungs, they don’t know about that and other side effects. They haven’t given me any kind of timeline on this,” she said.
But, she noted, “He’s looking much better than a week ago.” Since he got off the ECMO machine, his progress has really stepped up.
“They took him off the ECMO machine on Sunday, the ventilator on Tuesday, put a smaller trac in on Thursday and it’s really picked up,” she reiterated.
Becky stressed, “It’s incredible the amount of support in every way we have received and continue to receive. We are very, very appreciative, we couldn’t do it without it, all our families and friends.”
“We appreciate the support from everybody. Everyone has been so helpful with prayers, and at home they have provided support in every way.”
“It’s an ongoing response from family, friends, community, and even more far reaching than that,” Becky has previously stated.
Scott has established a winning tradition as Ft. Cobb basketball coach, capturing seven state championships and two runner-up trophies.
He’s been hospitalized since July 17 in three different facilities, Grady Memorial Hospital in Chickasha, Deaconess Hospital in Oklahoma City which is Integris’ COVID hospital, Becky explained, and since July 31 he’s been in Integris Baptist Hospital.