The Woodcox Covid-19 Miracle

July 29th, 2021 - Kathy Woodcox - APA Math Teacher D3

Kathy Woodcox teaches Secondary Math at the Draper 3 campus. She has worked for APA since 2005. Kathy and her husband Bryan have been married for 33 years. They have four children and six grandchildren. Bryan worked in the IT industry for 29 years. In 2019, he opened a bakery in Herriman. Life has been challenging for Bryan since opening his bakery, Rewhipped. He has worked at least 70 hours a week, every week, to keep the business running for the past two years. Fortunately, his body has held up well during this time. He has never fallen ill or been injured. Bryan seemed to be invincible until the fevers started in May.

May 12 was the first day of fever. It got as high as 101º, but it didn't last. The fevers continued to come and go for about a week, and he had occasional body aches, no other symptoms. With the fever, Bryan stayed home from work, suspicious of COVID-19, because both Kathy and Bryan chose not to be vaccinated. On Thursday, May 20, Bryan tested positive for COVID-19. A chest X-ray showed completely normal lungs. As soon as Kathy got the news of the positive test, she went home to quarantine with Bryan. 

On Saturday, May 22, Bryan was having trouble keeping his oxygen saturation levels up, so they went to the ER at 9:30 pm. A new X-ray showed that his lungs were "much, much worse." A COVID-19 room was found at Jordan Valley West Medical Center, so he was transported there and admitted at 2:30 am. The disease progressed very rapidly, and in just 24 hours, Bryan was unable to breathe on his own. A CT scan showed advanced lung disease. The medical team told them Bryan had to be intubated or he may die within the hour, and Bryan consented.

When he was told he only had a 5% chance of surviving, Bryan said, "That's still a chance." Bryan and Kathy were given time to say goodbye. They talked for a few minutes and then called their kids. Corey lives on the east coast, so he answered. Bryan left voicemails for the other kids. He told each of them that he would fight to live and asked them to pray for a miracle. He told Kathy, "I am not ready to die. I'm going to fight. Tell everyone to pray for a miracle."

On May 24, 2021, at 4:30 am, Bryan was intubated and placed on life support in a medically-induced coma. Kathy was told that if he did survive, he would be on a ventilator for at least a month. Four hours after being placed on life-support, Bryan was transferred to the University of Utah Medical Center to receive more advanced treatments.

Kathy informed family and friends of Bryan's situation and asked everyone they knew to pray for a miracle. Miracles began happening almost immediately. Within 24 hours, Bryan's lungs had improved so much that he did not need more advanced treatments, and his chance of survival went from 5% to 35%. It's a common practice for patients in a medically-induced coma to have a daily "sedation vacation." Every day at 10 am, the care team would reduce the level of sedative and paralytic, allowing Bryan's brain to be active, and give him an opportunity to be awake and somewhat alert. Then, they would put him back into a full coma at 4:00 pm. They did not expect him to wake up on Tuesday, but Bryan woke up at the very first opportunity! It was apparent that he was fighting for his life.

Miracles continued to unfold every day. COVID-19 patients typically have good days followed by bad days, but Bryan never had a single bad day. He progressed so quickly that he was off the ventilator in just five days. Kathy got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on May 25 to be allowed to visit Bryan in the hospital. Bryan came out of the ICU on May 29, and Kathy was allowed to visit him on May 31.

When Bryan was allowed to attempt walking, he required a walker. He was very weak, and his movements and speech were slow and deliberate. However, after just five days of therapies, he could walk without assistance, swallow without aspirating, and speak quite well.

The chief pulmonologist at the University Medical Center came to Bryan's room to give discharge instructions. He said, "Bryan, we were very scared for you when you arrived here. I did not expect you to survive without very advanced treatment, and I expected you to be in a coma for several weeks. I did not expect you to walk out of this hospital after just ten days. I have no explanation for what has happened to you, except . . . God."

Bryan was released from the hospital on June 2nd. He would not have survived without the medical treatments he received, and he feels very fortunate that so much scientific progress has been made in treating COVID-19, but there is no question that his recovery was remarkable and miraculous.

Miraculously, Bryan is expected to make a complete recovery, and he is well on his way there. He came home with supplemental oxygen, which he no longer needs. He is still doing daily physical therapy to rebuild his weakened muscles, and he is unable to work a full day. He is functioning at about 80% of normal and improving each week.

Bryan decided to close his bakery, Rewhipped, on July 31, 2021. In an open letter to his customers and friends, Bryan said, "The only way that Rewhipped can remain open is for me to continue to work excessive hours with minimal pay. I hope it's understandable that I want my time to be filled with the most important things with my second chance at life. I want to spend more time with my family. I want to take better care of myself. I want to have time for recreation and for serving others. This has not been a difficult decision for me to make because these things have always been important to me. I just needed to be reminded."

The Woodcox Family is excited about this new chapter in their lives. Kathy says, "We are going to be just fine. My husband is alive and healing well. Nothing matters more than that. Running Rewhipped was a great experience for our family. We have no regrets. I like to remember the words of the great Dr. Seuss: 'Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened!'" Bryan is planning to go back to work in the IT industry. As soon as he finds employment, he hopes to work mostly from home until he is 100% recovered. 

Bryan and Kathy would like their APA family to know how much they appreciate all the prayers, love, and support that everyone offered. We are all part of this miracle! Kathy's Math colleagues and the Draper 3 Admin team put in extra hours to help cover classes and grading during Kathy's absence. "It was so helpful to be able to focus on my family," Kathy said. "I didn't have to worry about work for even a minute. I work for the best organization! I am forever grateful."

Kathy and Bryan shared their story on the Parrish the Thought podcast on July 29th, 2021. Click here or the image below to hear them tell their miracle experience.