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Amazing Grace
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Grace, a support worker with Choice Support since 2009, writes about her recovery from Coronavirus.
“This Coronavirus wasn’t a nice experience. It started as a temperature and sharp back pain, but I wasn’t coughing. I rang in sick and took time off work. Over the next few days my temperature got higher and higher and I called for an ambulance three times. I received treatment for other health conditions but no-one suspected that I had Coronavirus. Eventually my temperature was so high and my oxygen level so low that they took me into hospital. From then on, I can’t remember much of what happened.
I was critical, gasping for every breath. I was admitted to the ICU, induced into a coma and put on a ventilator for four days. I later found out that I had 50% chance of recovery. My care was brilliant and nurses kept my family well-informed. When they woke me up, I was confused, the room was packed, and I could see them resuscitating patients around me. I asked myself, ‘am I going to die?’ I was the only person awake. The doctors and nurses were overwhelmed. Alarms were going off, there was so much activity. I prayed and it gave me strength to overcome the fear and horror of seeing people dying around me.
After that, my recovery fast-tracked. I was moved to a recovery ward and spent the next three days on minimal oxygen. I started to feel much better, like everything was being switched on. I phoned up home and work, it was so reassuring to hear that no one had caught the virus from me.
I have a positive attitude and I started eating and moving around to get myself stronger. I was soon discharged. I’d been in hospital for 12 days. I’m so grateful to the NHS for all their hard work in saving lives. I haven't had any complications since then and have been getting stronger each day. After testing negative for the virus, I was given the all clear to go back to work when I was ready to. I would like to thank all my colleagues at Choice Support for their love and support, and the brilliant NHS health workers who saved my life."
