‘I COULDN’T LIFT A BOTTLE OF WATER – NOW I’M CLIMBING MOUNTAINS’ Tony Cotgreave shares his story of being a patient in intensive care with COVID-19 and his recovery since All Tony Cotgreave thought he wanted for his 55th birthday was to be left alone.
Tony at the top of Moel Famau
After spending around six weeks in intensive care with COVID-19, he was tired. Learning to walk again had been a slow and painful process – a few weeks earlier he struggled to lift a bottle of water. That’s why he asked Katie Pudge, his main physio at the Countess, to give him his birthday off. To his surprise, staff on the unit had prepared balloons, a homemade chocolate birthday cake and a hospital apron filled with handwritten well-wishes. Then, at 10.30am, like clockwork, Katie appeared. “We’re going to get up and walk around the bed today,” Katie said. “But if you do it, I’ve got another surprise for you.” The missing four weeks Six weeks earlier Tony had arrived at the Countess by ambulance after experiencing significant breathing problems.
“THE NURSES, PHYSIOS, CONSULTANTS, DOCTORS AND EVERYONE WERE ALL UNBELIEVABLE. THANK YOU.”
Despite being on the lookout for the main symptoms of COVID-19 as discussed widely in the media, it was only when his chest became incredibly tight that he realised something was seriously wrong, so he called 999.
Tony can’t remember much from the next four weeks as his condition worsened quickly. After testing positive for COVID-19, he also developed pneumonia, kidney failure and sepsis as well as having a blood clot on his lungs. A tracheostomy was helping him breathe as he drifted in and out of consciousness. One of the few things he does remember
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from this period is a night when he woke up distressed. A nurse from the unit sat with him, holding his hand to comfort him. Tony can’t remember who this was, it could have been anyone on the unit, but their kindness and how it soothed him during that moment of panic is something he will never forget. A wish granted Gingerly, Tony followed Katie’s instructions and made his way around the bed. Slowly, but surely this was getting easier. He was inwardly delighted with his progress, although he was absolutely exhausted by the time he settled back into bed.
“You did amazingly then Tony. It’s time for that surprise: Happy birthday from everyone at Chester FC,” Katie said. Katie held up her phone to reveal a personalised message from a number of Chester FC players and coaches wishing him happy birthday. Tony, an avid Chester fan, was lost for words. The team on the unit had used a few contacts at the club to call in the special favour and it’s something Tony will treasure forever, not only for the footballing connections, but also the thought and effort behind it. Pushing new boundaries A few days after turning 55, the father of two was finally able to leave hospital. Staff on the unit lined the corridors and clapped to say farewell as he made his way
