He spent more than a week on a ventilator due to coronavirus complications. Now, a Maryland man is home and recovering after being the first patient in the D.C. area to receive a special plasma treatment.
Doctors, nurses and other staff at MedStar Georgetown Hospital lined the entrance of the hospital to cheer on Patrick Bright, 55, of Clinton, Maryland, as he was discharged.
He spent three weeks there after contracting the coronavirus. For nine of those days, he was on a ventilator.
His family was told to start planning his funeral.
“There were times that I was in my hospital bed and I was just crying and praying to God to get me through this,” Bright said.
But after receiving the first treatment of convalescent plasma therapy for coronavirus in the D.C. area, donated by MedStar’s Dr. Lambros Stamatakis, Bright is now home.
The staff at MedStar Georgetown Hospital had his family on a video call when he woke up.
“When I opened up my eyes, the first thing I saw was my family and it just gave me so much motivation,” Bright said.
On Friday, a parade of Federal Police cruisers from the Pentagon were stationed outside of his house to salute him. Bright is a 15-year veteran Federal Officer at the Pentagon.
“I’m feeling humble and I’m feeling so grateful,” Bright said.
He would like to return the favor and donate plasma once he’s healthy enough. His wife has an appointment to donate plasma on Tuesday.
“It definitely can save someone’s life,” Bright said.
He said that he wants to meet Stamatakis and the other doctors who helped save his life.
“I have the dream of one day thanking the people that donated their plasma. That’s something that I definitely want to do in my future,” Bright said.
To be eligible to donate plasma to help with coronavirus treatment, the patient must have recovered from COVID-19 for at least 14 days and have laboratory confirmation.
MedStar Georgetown is actively seeking and strongly encouraging eligible plasma donors to donate by emailing MGUHDonatePlasma@medstar.net.
