Jill Travels From Delaware to South Jersey for Advanced Lung Care
Feeling fortunate to be alive after being hospitalized for three months with COVID-19, Jill Scannell turned to Virtua's Dr. Dominic Valentino III to continue her long-term pulmonary care. She's now on the road to a brighter future.
Jill Scannell feels fortunate to be alive.
In November 2021, Jill caught COVID-19. Hospitalized for three months and in a coma, doctors told her family that she likely would not survive.
Jill Faced Serious Complications From COVID-19
“I had pneumonia, a collapsed lung, and a pulmonary embolism. I had suffered seven strokes. They couldn’t take me off high-flow oxygen and bring me out of the coma. They told my husband it was time to turn off the ventilator on multiple occasions,” said Jill, a school district special education coordinator.
Miraculously, she regained consciousness and spent the next few months in a rehabilitation facility relearning how to walk, dress, and feed herself. When it came time to go home and find a pulmonologist for her long-term care, Jill chose a doctor whom she credits for saving her life—and it didn’t matter that he had relocated from her home state of Delaware to Virtua in South Jersey, an hour away.
“There’s no way I wasn’t following Dr. Valentino,” said Jill. “I literally owe my life to him.”
Teams Work to Improve Jill’s Breathing
A pulmonologist for 18 years, Dominic Valentino, III, DO, FCCP, FACOI, treated Jill in the Delaware hospital’s intensive-care and post-COVID units.
“She was the sickest of the sick, but has made a substantial recovery,” said Dr. Valentino.
While at Virtua, Dr. Valentino has ensured Jill undergoes regular pulmonary function tests, receives treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and asthma, and is comfortable using supplemental oxygen whenever needed.
The mother of three also recently underwent a right heart catheterization to test for pulmonary hypertension, a condition where the blood flow in the lungs is at a higher pressure than normal, which can result in breathing problems, low oxygen levels, or heart failure. She is working with Dr. Valentino, who is a pulmonary hypertension specialist, and other Virtua physicians who are experts in advanced lung diseases, to ensure she receives the latest therapies needed to treat the condition.
“I need oxygen when I sleep or do exertive exercise. But I am back to work, doing things as a mom,” she said. “I think about how many people in the same boat who wouldn’t be here today without doctors like Dr. Valentino.”
Physical and Occupational Therapies Allow Jill to Focus on Her Future
Physical and occupational therapy have helped Jill overcome damage from her strokes, and she is now furthering her education.
She’s working toward her doctoral degree in educational leadership, with a focus on literacy. She credits her family for always being by her side and her faith for carrying her through dark times.
Jill hopes to one day go to the gym or take a walk with her family without needing an oxygen tank by her side. She’s thankful to have Dr. Valentino trying to get her there.
“What would I want for me and my own family? That’s the standard I go by,” he said. “I’m very fortunate to shepherd her care.”
Having Breathing Problems That Aren’t Getting Better?
If you have a cough that won’t go away or have difficulty breathing, it could be a sign of a respiratory disease. Find a Virtua pulmonology location, or call 888-847-8823.
There's So Much More to Explore
