CARBONDALE, Ill. (WSIL) -- A respiratory therapist is sharing his story in hopes of attracting more therapists to Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH).
For the last seven years, Brad Sanders has worked as a respiratory therapist, including the last five years at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.
"I feel like it's a good fit for me," Sanders said.
Sanders, who's classified as a sergeant in the Army, splits his work with his military duties. He was stationed in Germany last year before returning to work December 26 last year.
"A couple of my first shifts were in the COVID ICU," Sanders said.
Sanders recalled a moment in August when his shift began with four people on ventilators and tripled to 12 by the end of the day.
"That was a very very stressful day," Sanders said. "You're putting [patients] on life support knowing that there's a really good chance that they may not make it through it."
Sanders says patients who are placed under a ventilator are most likely in a life or death situation.
But Sanders has been able to handle the stresses of the job thanks to his experience in the military. But, Sanders says, it doesn't make the job easier, especially when caring for patients who are the same age.
"They break down and cry," Sanders said. "You listen to them talk about how they're scared because they may never get to see their loved ones again, their kids or any of their family."
But when a patient makes it out alive, Sanders says there's no greater feeling.
"It's just very rewarding to watch someone that you took care of from the time you put them on a ventilator to the time you watch them walk out of the hospital," Sanders said.
This week marks Respiratory Care Week and Sanders hopes his story encourages people to become respiratory therapists. One SIH officer called them 'unsung heroes' but Sanders says their job is to help patients heal.
"Whenever you have those kinds of patients you feel really really good about your job," Sanders said.
To apply for any of the respiratory therapist positions available click
As of Wednesday, SIH has recorded 14 COVID-19 inpatients. Seven are currently at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale and seven are at SIH Herrin Hospital.