5 minute read
Tony’s story
Advertisement
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. 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 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.
WERE ALL UNBELIEVABLE. “You did amazingly then Tony. It’s time for
THANK YOU.” 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
Tony at home
off the unit to be reunited with his family. The retail manager was then met by all his neighbours, who lined the street to applaud him again as he returned to his house for the first time in almost two months.
After such an ordeal, recognising how lucky he was, Tony was determined to keep working hard and getting stronger. Via ICUsteps Chester he accessed regular exercise classes, alongside his remote hospital rehab, hitting target after target until he was recently able to complete a nine mile hike up Moel Famau in North Wales. He will never forget what the team on ICU did for him and he appeared on BBC Morning Live earlier this year to praise those who had looked after him so well: “I can’t thank them enough, I wouldn’t be here without them, I love them to bits to be honest. The nurses, physios, consultants, doctors and everyone were all unbelievable. Thank you.” Katie Pudge, physiotherapist, who enjoyed a virtual reunion with Tony on the BBC daytime programme, said: “It is fantastic to see how well Tony is doing. He was one of our most poorly patients during the first wave, but he’s worked really hard. I was touched that he wanted to say thank you to us through the BBC. It was something I’ll never forget.”
Tony when he was in ICU
ICUsteps Chester Zooms into focus
ICUsteps Chester has successfully translated many of its activities to online platforms during the pandemic.
The charity, which launched in 2016, gives former intensive care patients and their loved ones an opportunity to socialise with people who have been through a similar experience and continue receiving support. “We began looking at virtual platforms when the first lockdown happened, but we soon realised just how useful it could be for us,” Miles Negus-Fancey, ICUsteps Chester Chair, said. “Many of us were shielding so it made sense from that perspective, but we also found that people who wouldn’t have been able to attend previously join us online. It has helped so many of us to maintain social contact with other people this year.” The charity, which is independent of the Countess, helps with nursing induction programmes at the Trust and has fundraised for new equipment, such as communication aides for patients and a physio trolley. Debbie Graham, Associate Director of Nursing, who is a Trustee of ICUsteps Chester, said: “ICUsteps Chester is a fantastic initiative that also gives so much back to the hospital. Intensive care has been talked about a lot during COVID-19, but all patients who spend time in ICU are there because they are critically ill. Many of them deal with the consequences of that for a long time afterwards, which is why groups like ICUsteps Chester make such a difference.”
Find out more about ICUsteps Chester by visiting www.icustepschester.org or emailing info.icustepschester@gmail.com.
