My son spent 10 of his first 15 days of life plugged to an ECMO (he's 5 years old now!). Through the pain, fear and despair of 3 failed attempts to get him out of it, one of the thoughts that my head clung to for sanity was exactly what you describe, that awe of what the machine's power, and awe at the amazing people who, like your wife, tended to it and to my son.