UPDATE: 12/7/09 Well, today wasn't so good. The staff tried to wean Sam off of the ECMO, but his oxygen levels didn't hold and began to decline again, so the ECMO oxygen had to be turned back up to 100%. They said they would try again either today or tomorrow. This seems to be how it usually happens. They just keep trying until he is able to maintain his oxygen levels with the ventilator alone.