Grandmother, once on ventilator, beats COVID Maria Ferrumpau, in her 80s, treated at Sierra View
Trips between Tulare and Porterville became a regular occurrence for the family of Maria Ferrumpau when the Tulare resident became a patient in Sierra View Medical Center’s Distinct Part/skilled Nursing Facility (DP/SNF).
But after being on a ventilator, Ferrumpau has recovered from COVID-19.
In her 80s, Ferrumpau raised five sons and a daughter in Tulare after moving to the United States from Terceira, Azores, Portugal, decades earlier. As Ferrumpau and her family prepared to celebrate the holidays in December, 2020, she became unable to celebrate.
She was hospitalized in Hanford following complications resulting from COVID-19. In February, she was transferred to Sierra View.
Her family soon became regular visitors of the DP/SNF unit. A recovery that would allow Ferrumpau to return home seemed unlikely given her pre existing health conditions, Sierra View stated.
She also arrived at the DP/SNF unit on a large ventilator. Larger ventilators are used for patients who are more acute, including those suffering from COVID-19 related complications.
But the family never gave up hope. “She’s a fighter, she never gave up, and we never gave up on her,” said daughter-in-law Deanna Ferrumpau.
Ferrumpau’s son, Joe Ferrumpau, worked with his wife Deanna and the Sierra View DP/ SNF team to find a way remove Maria from the ventilator.
For many months throughout the pandemic, visitors weren’t allowed in the DP/SNF unit. There were times when Ferrumpau became worse and became a patient of Sierra View’s Emergency, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and Medical/surgical (Med/ Surg) departments. The proximity between the DP/SNF unit and the hospital made those care transitions less difficult for the family.
Visitors weren’t allowed for months due to restrictions called for by statewide safety guidelines issued by the California Department of Public Health. But everything changed for Ferrumpau when those visitor guidelines were updated to allow family members to visit facilities.
“I think that was a big part for her,” said Respiratory Care Practitioner Lina Oliva. “When she started to see her family, her spirits lifted, everything just started changing.”
For months, Joe dropped his father off with Maria after finishing his shift as a dairy manager in Tulare. Maria and her husband stayed together throughout the afternoon, and since Deanna works at the post office in Porterville, she would pick up her father-in-law on the way home. The next day,
the routine would begin again.
Maria and her husband will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this year.
Registered Nurse Marian Loflin attested the family’s perseverance to find a way to take Maria home helped tremendously in her recovery as difficult as it was. Working with the medical director for the DP/SNF unit, Dr. Harpreet Sandhu, M.D., the nursing and respiratory care team at the DP/SNF unit helped successfully remove the large ventilator so Maria could breathe on her own again as well as begin eating by herself.
Maria also began to be able to use her facial gestures and her hands. During her time at Sierra View’s DP/ SNF, Maria crocheted a scarf for Loflin and befriended her care team.
Although Maria doesn’t speak English, she routinely used her Portuguese to communicate with the Spanish speakers on her care team. DP/SNF Activities Director Jessie Hooks said there were two things Maria particularly enjoyed: Spanish language soap operas and games involving monkeys on her tablet. On Monday, October 4 Maria finally got to go home for good. With Maria now in Tulare, the Ferrumpau family are ready to celebrate Christmas this year.
Most of the Ferrumpau family is now vaccinated against COVID 19. Of learning his mother had tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020, Joe said, “It’s a hard thing to hear.” Now that his mother is home, he said he knows the whole family will once again enjoy her good company and traditional cooking.
“Be careful, and get vaccinated,” Joe said.
Before leaving, Maria’s care team members lined up to take a farewell photo with her before she released from the hospital. When asked how she felt on her way back to Tulare, Maria happily replied, “Muito bem, graças a Deus.” Translated from Portuguese, that means, “Very good, thank God.”
Maria extended her gratitude to her entire care team for helping her return to her family.
“Maria Ferrumpau’s journey is an extraordinary story of beating the odds,” Sierra View stated. “However, many COVID 19 patients have not been so fortunate.
“Currently, the best line of defense against COVID 19 is to receive the COVID 19 vaccine. Sierra View Medical Center encourages community members to consider receiving the vaccine.”
For COVID 19 vaccination locations throughout Tulare County, visit myturn. ca.gov. COVID 19 vaccinations are also available at the Community Vaccination Clinic in Porterville operated by Sierra View Medical Center and Imperial Ambulance in partnership with Tulare County Health and Human Services.
To learn more, visit www.sierraview.com/ Covidvaccines. The clinic is at the corner of Pearson and Morton and open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-saturday.