Santa Claus spread some holiday cheer at the Methodist Women’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday.Jolly Old St. Nicholas handed out ornaments, books and gifts for siblings of the babies.Each child's wish? To be home in time for the new year.

Greg Schroeter's bout with COVID-19 was relatively mild.

But the other problems it triggered left him hospitalized for nearly three months.

The 51-year-old from rural Humphrey, Nebraska, said his recovery has been long and emotional.

"I went from basically being bedridden, and one of my physical therapists stood me up," he said. "And I looked him eye to eye and I knew I was gonna walk again."

Schroeter documented all his milestones at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals-Lincoln Campus: the first time standing, walking on a robotic treadmill called a Lokomat, and using a walker and walking on his own.

"It's three and a half hours a day of pure hell, but it's worth everything because I'm going to walk out there," Schroeter said.

In November 2020, his wife Kimberly Schroeter, a registered nurse, tested positive for COVID-19. Her symptoms were mild. They wore masks and slept in separate bedrooms.

"I guess I thought I was out of the woods. I was on day 10 of quarantine," Schroeter said.

He was working outside when suddenly he felt pain in his legs. A couple of days later, he could barely move. On Nov. 23, he was taken to Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.

Doctors told him he developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological disorder that attacks the spinal cord causing paralysis. It was apparently triggered by his exposure to the coronavirus.

"I never would have gotten Guillain-Barre if it wasn't for COVID," he said.

The disease soon began affecting his breathing.

"This is the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life, and I wouldn't wish it on anybody or my worst enemy," Schroeter said. "It is absolutely awful."

Kimberly Schroeter said she was thankful Greg didn't have to go on a ventilator.

"For some reason, he escaped that twice and that was pretty amazing," she said.

Schroeter also developed a pancreatic cyst that doctors operated on. On Jan. 8, he was well enough to be taken to Madonna.

"I was basically helpless," Schroeter said. "No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move."

Dr. Paul Krabbenhoft, Madonna's Spinal Cord Injury Program medical director, said Schroeter's case is not unique.

Since the pandemic began, Madonna staff in Lincoln and Omaha have treated 105 patients for post-COVID-19, many with severe side effects.

Krabbenhoft said they have also treated other Guillain-Barre patients. "Something that causes the immune system to respond and then it gets out of kilter and it starts acting on and attacking the central nervous system," Krabbenhoft said.

Schroeter is grateful for all the support from family, friends and co-workers.

"I feel like the prayers that were given to me and the Methodist Hospital team and the Madonna Hospital team, I believe they saved my life," Schroeter said.

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For every milestone Schroeter recorded, his wife would send him a text.

"I would say, my heart is fluttering," she said. "Fluttering was like my word to him every time he did something so amazing."

Schroeter will soon reach another amazing milestone: going home two weeks ahead of schedule.

"He's my hero," Kimberly said. "Everything he's been through and he just never ever gave up. I guess I could say that I think I fell in love with my husband all over again."