Bedford teen recovering after 5 months in hospital with COVID complications

BEDFORD — Molly Fox was never one to keep her cell phone beside her bed, but that was before her world was turned upside down by COVID.

For 5 1/2 months, Molly and Russell Fox prayed, worried and waited for encouraging news about their son, Wesley, 16, who spent 160 days on a ventilator at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.

"I'd go to bed every night with my phone by my bed and fell asleep expecting that call," she said. "Every time a 317 number popped up on my phone, my heart dropped."

It was the call no parent wants to get but Molly and Russell knew their son was fighting for his life and had prepared themselves for the worst possible outcome.

Wesley Fox is expected to return home to East Oolitic this week. He hasn't been home since July 14 when his parents took him to the St. Vincent Dunn Hospital emergency department with a bad headache. His oxygen level was critically low — 40% — he was intubated and rushed to Ascension St. Vincent in Indianapolis.

Local news: Former Bedford resident writing comic 'Skyline' based on upbringing in the city.

Wesley spent 175 days in the hospital, 160 of them on a ventilator. Almost immediately, doctors told his parents he needed to be placed on ECMO, a machine that offers life support to the most critically ill patients. ECMO pumps blood out of the body, gives oxygen using an artificial lung and returns it to the body. In Wesley's case, doctors told the Foxes Wesley needed ECMO to keep him alive.

"We talked to the palliative care doctors a lot," Molly said. "They prepared us for the worst. None of them thought he was going to make it."

After eight days on ECMO, Wesley's condition improved to only needing a ventilator, but he was not out of the woods. He remained in ICU at Ascension St. Vincent. After about two weeks, he was transferred to Peyton Manning Children's Hospital, where a care team of 12 medical caregivers representing seven specialties, focused on getting him well.

Others are reading: New IU Health Bedford Hospital COO Larry Bailey succeeds retired former president Brad Dykes.

When he was discharged from PMCH last week to a rehab facility for physical therapy, he had completed 233 hours of therapy.

Wesley, the Russells' only child, has had to relearn how to walk, talk and eat again.

'Super sick' for six weeks

As his parents prepare for his return home, Molly recounted their journey that began in July when she tested positive for COVID.

"It's been a journey you wouldn't wish on anybody," she said. "You wonder sometimes why the Lord chose this path for us and we don't know why, but we're thankful for all the love and prayers. We wouldn't have made it without all that."

In early July, Molly tested positive for the virus. Days later, Wesley said he wasn't feeling well. He had a headache, and it was bad enough that Molly sat up with him all night. She gave him Tylenol, but he was still in pain. Russell suggested dehydration might be causing the headache so they took him to the St. Vincent Dunn ER for fluids.

Within an hour, the teenager who Molly said was always "a healthy kid" was sedated and intubated.

"It moved really fast," she said.

The first few days were among the worst.

"It was a lot of shock. Like any parent, I kept thinking, 'How did I miss that?" she said of his illness. "He never ran a high fever. Other than a headache, there were no other symptoms."

It would be two days before they would see their son, only able to look at him through the glass pane of his room. Nearly two weeks would pass before Molly and Russell were allowed in his room. They were in frequent contact with Wesley's doctors. As they prayed for a miracle, they braced themselves for the worst.

Pandemic update: Lawrence County's COVID cases up 41.7%; Indiana cases surge 79.8%.

"We talked about so many things. If he didn't make it, we knew he would go home to be with the Lord but we would have our own challenges to go through life without him," she said.

At six weeks, he had improved and was sent to a rehab facility, but suffered a setback and returned to the hospital.

Molly said there were days of Wesley getting no better followed by a big improvement here and there.

"He was super sick for those first six weeks," she said.

While the care team kept them informed, it was difficult not being able to communicate with their son. He had a whiteboard to write messages, but he didn't have the strength to write.

Eventually, Wesley was given a tracheostomy; he was still intubated, but he could speak. On Oct. 6, Wesley sang happy birthday to his mom. It was the first time since July they had heard him speak.

Wesley continues to regain strength and mobility and he suffered no cognitive impairment. Feeding tubes were removed and he can eat on his own. Molly said no one knows what the long-term effects might be as he gets older.

"He surprised his doctors over and over again from what they thought would happen and what he was able to do," she said.

A PICU parade

When Wesley left PMCH on Jan. 5, he was among the patients who had been in the pediatric ICU there the longest.

On the day of his release, the PMCH staff and Wesley's care team celebrated the milestone with an exuberant parade as Wesley walked down the PICU hallway with just a walker.

 He received a gigantic signed card, a copy of "Oh The Places You'll Go," and a gift from the staff. After receiving his farewell, he said, "Oh my goodness. I love you guys very much. Thank you all." 

IU Health: 'Hundreds of patients' cannot get surgeries as COVID-19 surges.

Dr. Peter Baezinger, pediatrician and supportive care physician at Peyton Manning, said Wesley inspired the staff with his hard work to recover and positive attitude.

"We meet a lot of sick patients and you were a joy to have here," Baezinger said. "We're proud of you and we're excited you're going back out into the world."

A press release from PMCH said, "Wesley has been an incredible fighter and has won the admiration of his dozens of Ascension St. Vincent caregivers. We'd like to congratulate Wesley on his recovery and pray he'll be back to "normal" very soon!"

Despite the many challenges, Molly said the hospital staff and care team took excellent care of their son. The couple was able to stay at the St. Vincent House when visiting Wesley and a licensed teacher on staff worked with Wesley to complete school assignments.

Wesley, who attends Indiana Digital Learning School, is on track to begin his junior year in the fall.

"We have a whole new family up here, that's for sure. We've made a lot of friendships. We've grown. I feel like our story has touched lives," Molly said. "We're going to focus on the good and just keep moving forward."

Brenna Ford, senior public relations specialist at Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis, said Wesley's stay in the PMCH PICU was the longest of any patient in 2021. When Wesley was placed on ECMO, it was to give his body a break to fight the infection.

"We expect them to get better when we put them on ECMO," Ford explained. "Sometimes the patient's oxygen level stays the same, but we keep them on ECMO because every day the body isn't fighting to keep its organs alive it's fighting the infection. He didn't give up and his caregivers didn't give up."

Ford said in 2020, the hospital didn't see very many inpatient children with COVID complications, but as the variants got worse and life opened back up in 2021, the hospital has treated more kids with COVID.

Wesley, who attended Stalker Elementary and Bedford Middle School, now does online home schooling. Molly said her son was always a quiet kid before COVID.

"Now he's a social butterfly because he had so many people in and out of his room," she said with a laugh. "I think he'll study something in the medical field when he goes to college. We laugh that this has been the longest career day ever. He knows about each  specialty at the hospital."

Her son spent so much time there, Molly said she wouldn't be surprised if he decides to go into a medical field and returns there to work.

"Whatever his big heart wants to do, he'll be amazing at it," she said.

Bedford news: Green Hill Cemetery to remove, refurbish wrought iron fence.

As the Foxes prepare for his return, they want to make Wesley's homecoming feel as normal as possible, but also make it special. Molly will prepare his favorite meals and Wesley has a special project at home waiting for him.

For his 16th birthday, which was three weeks before his illness, his parents bought him a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle.

"He's always loved Volkswagens and he's anxious to get started restoring that," she said.

He remains on a ventilator with a trach so that his lungs can rest as he continues to recover.

Molly said her son is very aware of what he's been through and is grateful to be going home.

"From here on out, Peyton Manning Children's Hospital will always be family to us," Molly said. "We dearly love each and everyone of them."

Contact Times-Mail Staff Writer Carol Johnson at cjohnson@tmnews.com or 812-277-7252.