"I would not be here but for the incredible staff"

I have COPD and I caught Covid. With my condition it hit me very hard.

I went to A&E at Pilgrim hospital but unfortunately on this occasion my treatment was not so good. I was given a nebuliser and some steroids and sent home. I returned home very unwell and held off going back for 4 days but eventually I had to return to A&E. An ambulance was called but would take more than 2 hours so my wife had to take me to hospital by car. This was very frightening to me.

On arrival at hospital the treatment i received was much better. I was given the normal cannula and received a lot of different drugs to try and stabilise me. After 5 hours they thought i was ready for the ward. The doctor in charge of me wanted me to go to ICU but was overruled by administration and i went to ward 7b the respiratory ward at Pilgrim. I was only on the ward for a few minutes when my condition deteriorated very quickly and I was taken to ICU where my wife and daughter were told I might not survive the night.

But with the fantastic care from the ICU doctors and nurses I did survive and continued to improve over the next few days till I was ready to return to the respiratory ward. Unfortunately i received my long term prognosis the COVID had done severe damage to my lungs and that i now have late stage lung disease with other complications, but I am convinced I would not be here but for the incredible staff at ICU and ward 7B.

Thank you for allowing me to tell my story, it has been very hard to take all this in but it does help to write it down.