Happy to be Alive

Craig Mueller shares his mantra after battling for his life against COVID-19

by VICKI MELDE

photo by JOHN BUNCH PHOTOGRAPHY

Luke, Craig, Lori and Grady during family photos taken at the lake in December 2020. (Photo by Erin Treadway)

After being in the hospital for 15 days, Craig could not wait to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.

While in the ICU, Craig was on high flow oxygen, had a central line, two chest tubes, and was hooked up to many monitors.

For someone that reveres nature and God’s creation, it’s hard to imagine anything that could prevent them from relishing the joy of fresh air and the sun covering their face.  There’s something about those raised in Scouting that seems to heighten their appreciation for the gift of the simple, yet exquisite, pleasure of the “great outdoors.”  

This may seem a rather odd beginning to a story about a local Texarkana Nurse Practitioner’s battle for his life with COVID-19.  But for Craig Mueller, it really came down to fighting for what he treasures most – his family and friends – and counting on his faith to see him through.  And what he missed most – aside, of course, from being with his dear wife, Lori, and his sons, was simply fresh air and the outdoors.  During his illness, the things that were such an innate part of growing up camping and working during summers at Camp Pioneer became the most coveted privilege.

Born and raised in Texarkana, Craig benefitted from a rather idyllic childhood.  He grew up in a very close family with his parents, David and the late Martha Mueller, and two sisters, Cathy (Burgess) and Kim (Altenbaumer).  Though Craig admits he was quite shy growing up, he credits being involved in Boy Scouts for teaching him how to be a leader and to become more outgoing.  Scouting and working at Camp Pioneer are the core of his most cherished childhood memories.

During his years at Pleasant Grove High School, Craig was focused on science.  “That’s all I ever thought about,” he recalled.  “I enjoyed doing first aid during Boy Scouts and had every intention of becoming a medical doctor.”  After graduating from Ouachita Baptist University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 1991, Craig began nursing school at Texarkana College while working to be accepted to medical school.  He became aware of the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program through the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock and decided to follow a different career path.  After receiving his FNP degree in 2002, Craig embarked on his professional journey of service which, so far, has been 18 years – the past eight years spent with Family Medical Group.

Though he came by his love of science and health care naturally, Craig was quick to stress the strong influence that Dr. Mitchell Young had on his life through Scouting and his friendship with “The Young Boys.”  (For any readers who don’t know the Youngs, the late Dr. Young and his amazing wife, Donna, raised eight sons and two daughters – all deeply committed to Scouting.  The “boys” all earned the rank of Eagle Scout, as had their father, and the Young “girls” achieved the corresponding rank in Girl Scouts of First Class.)

Aside from his parents, Craig is the person he is today in great part because of his wife, Lori.  They met at Texarkana College where both of their fathers worked, and they each had part-time jobs.  They will celebrate 24 years of marriage this May.  Lori is a beloved kindergarten teacher at Pleasant Grove ISD’s Margaret Fischer Davis Elementary School.

“We have two sons, Luke and Grady,” Craig noted proudly.  “Luke is a 2020 graduate of Pleasant Grove and is currently attending Ouachita.  He plans to go into the medical profession as well.  Our younger son, Grady, is currently a freshman at PGHS.”  Both sons share their father’s love of Scouting and have followed his example of achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.  Luke is an Eagle Scout, and Grady only lacks his project to earn this prestigious honor.

“Our favorite family activities include watching our boys play football – especially seeing our son be a part of and play in state championship football games – and their many baseball games,” Craig added.  “We also enjoy traveling – we prefer the mountains over theme parks!  My hobbies include hunting, fishing, and land conservation management.”

As all too many have experienced in the past year, when COVID strikes, life “as normal” for the entire family ceases.  And, unfortunately, being a medical professional doesn’t spare someone from its potentially deadly complications.  In fact, in some ways, having a great deal of medical knowledge can make a diagnosis such as COVID even more alarming – both because of what is known about what the disease can do – but also because of what is unknown to the medical community as far as how to treat, the outcomes, and the lasting effects it will have on people.

For Craig, the battle began on Saturday, September 19, 2020.   His story in his words …

“I felt fatigued, but thought it was just from a long work week.  Sunday afternoon, I started having GI issues, and by Sunday night, I was running a fever of 101.3.  I went to get tested, but I tested negative for flu and negative for COVID.  Lori and Grady isolated themselves to the back of the house as I still felt this was quite possibly COVID, so I stayed home from work and saw patients virtually.

“I began taking the ‘COVID cocktail’ medications recommended at that time.  The fatigue was relentless!  As the week continued, I began to battle high fever up to 104.  The shortness of breath and upper respiratory symptoms started mid-week.  My oxygen saturation remained steady about 92%.  By the next Saturday (a week later), I began to feel better and even went for a walk.  Then, I woke up at 3 a.m. Monday (9-27) and I knew something wasn’t right.  My oxygen level was down to 82%.  I called Lori, who had been sleeping in another room since the onset of my symptoms, to take me to Texarkana Emergency Center & Hospital.  There, I was met by Dr. Shanna Spence, and she started me on oxygen, steroids, antibiotics, and IV fluids.  A CT scan revealed I had COVID pneumonia, and my right side showed pneumonia and an empyema (collection of infection in the lung).

“Dr. Matt Young (owner of TEC&H and one of my best friends) arrived, and he and Dr. Spence felt it was necessary for me to be admitted into the ICU for further care.  I was transported via LifeNet ambulance to CHRISTUS St. Michael ICU.  There, I was met by Dr. Greg White, who assumed my care.  He immediately began COVID protocol which included plasma with COVID antibodies from a donor.  He consulted with Dr. Baptiste, and they felt it best for me to have a VATS (Video-Assisted Thorascopic Surgery) to investigate and drain the empyema on my right lung.  Surgery was scheduled the next morning.  They inserted two chest tubes to continue to drain the empyema.

Craig was dismissed from the hospital on October 13.  He received the cardboard cutout in the background as a gift from Dr. Matt Young of Texarkana Emergency Center & Hospital to keep him “company” while he was in isolation in the COVID unit.

“After surgery, I returned to ICU for five MORE days on high-flow oxygen, multiple antibiotics, breathing treatments, and steroids.  The following Thursday, the chest tubes were removed and later that weekend, I was transferred from ICU to the COVID unit.  Throughout that week, they began working on weaning me off my high-flow oxygen while continuing antibiotics and steroids.  Toward the end of the week, I spiked a temperature, my white count went up, and I began having more difficulty breathing.  Dr. Umbono (the infectious disease doctor) ordered another CT scan which revealed another abscess in my right lung.  Erin McCasland, FNP with Dr. Greg White’s office who was taking care of me in the COVID unit decided I should have a drain tube put in to remove the abscess.  On Saturday, October 10, I was taken to radiology to have a CT guided drain put in by the radiologist.

“I began improving and was able to wean off the high-flow oxygen and get on a nasal cannula for oxygen.  On Tuesday, October 13, the drain tube was removed, and I was discharged to go home on oxygen, breathing treatments, oral antibiotics, and steroids.  Upon weighing at discharge, I had lost a total of 35 pounds during those 15 days in the hospital.”

Craig was in isolation for a total of 15 days.  “It was one of the toughest things I’ve ever experienced and by far the worst part of the COVID ordeal,” he shared.  “The feeling of hopelessness, loneliness, lack of sleep, and lack of basic fresh air and sunshine were very taxing on my mental state.  The constant noise from the negative pressure system in the room made it where I couldn’t even think or sleep.”

How does one survive such a trial?  For Craig, the answer was what has been at the center of his life all along … God, prayers from family and friends, and especially his wife, Lori, (via brief chats several times a day on FaceTime) as well as past memories.  Though he literally “walked through the valley of the shadow of death” as in his favorite scripture, Psalm 23, he knew that his Lord was with him …  and that sustained him.

Craig’s isolation took an equal toll on Lori.  She too relied on prayers, family, and friends to get her through the tough days and nights.  “Remember the spring, when you would hear and see patients who couldn’t have any visitors,” she recalled.  “I never dreamed that would be us one day.  I understand protocol, but I also wish there could be something hospitals could do to let these patients see their loved ones – especially after an extended stay.  It truly is the best medicine!”

Lori described the day Craig was discharged as “the BEST feeling.” They just held each other in their car and cried together – finally happy tears!  

“When I got home, all I wanted to do was spend time with my wife and kids and to be outside in the fresh air,” Craig remembered.  “The first day back home, we set up my Boy Scout cot in the backyard, and I spent many hours the first two days home just being outside and listening to the peaceful sounds of nature.”  The days that followed brought drives when they’d load his portable oxygen tank, and Lori would pack a picnic just in case they were gone longer than planned.  It was a celebration just to be out … and alive!  

Although he still has some lasting effects from COVID – his lung function is about 80% normal, he battles fatigue and headaches, and has nerve and muscle damage in his lower extremities – Craig’s focus is on gratitude.  “First and foremost, I would like to thank God for pulling me through this and my wife for being there for me when I needed her,” he said.  “I would also like to thank all of the providers, nurses, and staff at Texarkana Emergency Center & Hospital, CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System, and LifeNet.  I am grateful for all of my family, friends, my crazy Scout buddies, and my coworkers at Family Medical Group for all of the prayers, concerns, calls, texts, meals provided to us, and for my post-medical care by Family Medical Group, along with Dr. Greg White and Erin McCasland, FNP.  I keep telling people that I feel like God kept me alive because there is still something left here for me to do.”

For a man who endured such an ordeal, 

Craig definitely sees the cup half full. 

In fact, as the psalm says, his cup runneth over!