First Symptoms and Early Days
Day 1: Saturday, 16th October.
Today I started coughing and felt little bit chesty. Never thought anything of it, I just thought I was getting a cold.
Day 2: Sunday, 19th October.
Lots more coughing, becoming more chesty. Plus runny nose, headache, cold hands and feet.
Day 3: Monday, 18th October.
Symptoms just got worse and I realised that I needed to take a flow test, which I did and tested positive for Covid 19.
Day 4: Tuesday, 19th October.
I started sweating, body temperature rose to 38.6C. I lost my sense of taste and smell. I went for a test at Hexham, took a PCR test and waited for the results. I was completely off food, bad headaches and breathing badly. I couldn't sleep through the night because I was too hot, only managed one and half hours sleep. I had to sit at the open bedroom window to cool down as my temperature was close to 40C.
Day 5: Wednesday, 20th October.
Results of PCR test came back positive for Covid 19, which I already knew from flow test. Still no appetite, temperature, pains in head, behind eyes and all over body ache. No improvement with my breathing, wheezing and struggling to breathe.
Day 6: Thursday, 21st October.
Another bad night. Burning up, still no taste and smell, still off food and still symptoms of headache pains behind the eyes. Thursday afternoon, I thought I was improving, but then from tea time I went down hill very quickly. I felt freezing cold and shivering. I just couldn't get warm. I went to bed and then started burning. Up every other hour to sit at the window to cool down. I nearly choked when I had a coughing fit and couldn't get my breath.
Day 7: Friday, 22th October.
When I got out of bed I was very light headed and had no energy. I was sweating, but my body was not hot. We rang the doctors and got a phone appointment for 11.30am. When I spoke to the doctor he insisted on a home visit. He wanted me to go into hospital but I said I would, but only as a last resort as i wasn't keen on going in. I have an inhaler and was given antibiotics as he thought I have a chest infection on top of Covid. He told me if things get worse, then don't hesitate to call an ambulance.
999
Day 8: Saturday, 23rd October.
Not the best of nights. I had no temperature when I went to bed, but as the night went on I started burning up again. I had to sit at the window for five minutes to cool down. then go back to bed. This went on from 2am until 6am every hour or hour and a half. I finally got up around 8,30 am, had a shower and felt a little better so came downstairs. I had a cup of coffee and one slice of toast but still had no taste. I wasn't coughing as much today, but oxygen levels still low at 86.
My wife and I (Sarah) decided to call 999 for an ambulance. 11.30am, I was now at Carlisle hospital. 1.50pm they took bloods and an ECG. I waited until 5pm for a chest x-ray and was given steroids at 5.30pm. Still on oxygen in A+E and it was now 7.30pm. I was taken to a ward at 8pm and waited to be assessed again. Oxygen level now sitting at 96 level, but going to Covid ward soon. I know I need a ventilator now, so I won't be waiting long.
First day in A+E.
Day 9: Sunday 24th October.
12.30am, early start today. Still waiting to be moved up to Covid ventilation room. I've been in this room since 8pm. There seems no hurry in the place. now on covid ward being given 40% oxygen.
on covid ward new mask
still on ward on a ventilator just before ICU
Intensive Care
Day 10: Monday 25th October.
At 2.30am I was taken to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for better ventilation. The doctor rang Sarah at 9am to tell her that they were putting me into an induced coma and there was only a 50:50 chance I would come through this. Then I rang Sarah to tell her to put everything in place and that I was never going to give up the fight. I told her that I loved her and our family so much. Next I rang my sister, Pamela to tell her that she was to look after Sarah, to tell Miss Diane to keep the gala going and that I told her again, that I wasn't going to give up the fight.
In ICU with space hood had this on for 4 day and nights on and off
Sarah got a phone call at 12pm from the doctors to say that everything had gone well and I was now in the induced coma. The doctor asked her if she would give permission to test new Covid drugs on me. Sarah and my family agreed because it was the best thing to do.
Day 11: Tuesday 26th October.
Pamela rang the hospital and spoke to the nurses. She was told that I had had an ok night. They had put me in the prone position, on my front for 16 hours and that I needed 55% oxygen. I was then put on my back and 90% oxygen. Later Dr Jones called Pamela to tell the family what was happening. I was still in an induced coma, on my front for 16 hours again and that the oxygen they were giving me had gone down.
Being on my front can cause pressure so they had to be prepared in case my face was swollen when they saw me. I was now positioned on my back. They told Pamela that I have been in a very bad way. They used water medication to try and dry my lungs out and I could still be at risk from infection. I had very bad pneumonia and still required lots of oxygen. They said they are going to keep ventilating me to help my lungs recover from Covid, which was also affecting my heart. It had slowed my pulse down so they gave me medication to help with this. Also, my blood pressure was low.
They were warned that there was still only a 50:50 chance of survival, as there could be further compilations further down the line. The had taken another chest x-ray and my lungs were still badly inflamed. The doctors said that I had just been extremely unlucky to get Covid with two jabs. The virus gets into the body fat and because of my size, that went against me. Pamela and Sarah were told it was now a waiting game.
Day 12: Wednesday 27th October.
Pamela rang and spoke to the nurse at 11am. She was told that I was stable, but still critical and I was expected to stay like this for the next week or so. My oxygen needed to be 45% last night in the prone position and 65% on my back this morning. That was good news, but the nurse did prepare them for the fact it could be two steps forward and one step back. I had made small steps today with oxygen levels, but I was still very poorly.
Day 13: Thursday 28th October.
Pamela spoke to a new nurse called Katie. She said that I was making steady progress and explained that I needed 30% oxygen on my tummy (prone position). She told Pamela that I was now on my back and needing 60%. They were hoping to remove the incubation tube in my mouth. I needed to be on my back to do this and needed to be on 60% oxygen for 24 hours. My son Jamie rang later and was told that they had woken me up.
My family hoped to have a Zoom meeting with me, but that didn't happen because I dislodged the tube from my mouth, so they had sedated me again just in case I got distressed. Sarah rang at 11pm and I was on my back with 60% oxygen. This was good and they were keeping me on my back overnight. This was the first time this had happened as I'd always had to sleep on my front before now.
Day 14: Friday 29th October.
At 11am Pamela spoke to Dr Woods. She told her that she had spoken to me this morning as I was awake and off the ventilator. I had a 'space helmet' on. I was currently on 91 saturation and 75% oxygen. The doctor told her that they were hoping to keep me on that and see how my breathing was. If I struggled, they would give me a rest and put me back to sleep. The doctor would like to see me wearing the 'space helmet' for three or four days and needing lower amounts of oxygen. At 3pm Jamie and I talked via Zoom. I can't remember this. Jamie told me that I was also asking where Sarah was, so Jamie rang her and she Zoomed with Jake and Brodie. I can't remember this either.
Later in the evening Pamela rang the hospital and spoke to another new nurse, Abbie. She was told that I'd had a good day with the hood / mask. I'd been confused earlier, but was better now and I'd been awake most of the day. I was on high flow oxygen, but 55% which is really good. They hoped to keep me on that overnight and not have to use the ventilator.
So good news tonight
Back to the Ward
Day 15: Saturday 30th October.
At 9am Pamela spoke to Natalie. She said that I had had a good night on the hood and I have been ok. I was now awake on 65% oxygen and staying steady. They were going to take the hood off so I could have some breakfast and put me on a high flow oxygen. Sarah and Jamie had been to see me and I was in good spirits. The nurses had put my oxygen up to 80% so I could talk.
Pamela rang again that night and spoke to Nurse Gill and I asked to speak to Pamela. I'd spent most of the day off the hood with just nasal oxygen, sitting at 70%. I was a little confused - they call it ICU delirium. I was on medication and lots of oxygen. I didn't get my breakfast because they are feeding me through a tube but they are going to try tomorrow.
Day 16: Sunday 31st October.
At 11am Pamela spoke to Nurse James who said I had had a settled night, on oxygen 55% with helmet. She was told I was a little muddled during the night but I had oxygen constantly in my ears. I was now up and sat in a chair, six days after I went to sleep on a ventilator. Now I was getting impatient. The nurses said I was progressing well.
I had my first bath and eat some soup, fruit and ice-cream. I was so weak I couldn't pick up a plastic straw or spoon to eat with. I was still on nasal oxygen at 60% and the ICU delirium has been bad today. The first one I got was a picture in my head of my coal wagon. On the front bonnet was a yellow sticker with the word DIE written in black. In my mind I woke up and there was silver foil everywhere I threw up blood everywhere and I was shouting “NO”. Then there was some pictures of the family that Sarah had brought in which had DIE written under each one. I saw two honey monster like gonks standing right next to me saying that I was coming with them and that I was going to die. Spiders were coming out of the monitors and crawling on the ceiling. The drawers were breathing.
On Halloween night, 31st October, I saw scarecrows in the window waving for me to follow them and to come to die with them. I now know these were not real, but they were very real at the time. The nurse said they where the worse ones she had ever heard.
Day 17: Monday 1st November.
At 11am I started to walk again. I had to use a zimmer frame, but I was getting stronger day by day.
ICU Day 8 - almost going back to ward different mask.
Day 18: Tuesday, 2nd November.
Sarah came to see me. She said I was a lot happier that day. They were talking about moving me out of ICU ward.
Day 19: Wednesday 3rd November.
At 9.30am the doctors said that I could be moved to a ward, have all the tubes removed and on to a oxygen mask instead. I sat in a chair all day waiting to be taken to a ward. At 6pm they all clapped on ICU clapped as I was moved. I had to be put in to bed cause I was too weak to lift my legs on to the bed.
Day 20: Thursday 4th November.
I didn't sleep very well on the ward. Ronan, my physio came to see me in the morning and gave me a little oxygen bottle. He got me out of bed and walked with me to the toilet and back which was about 10 yards. He said; “ok, you can now go to the toilet”. They removed my catheter this morning, which was not nice.
Day 21: Friday 5th November.
Oxygen was now less than 28%. I was eating better and getting stronger. At about 3.30pm i was moved to the green zone which is a step closer to home. I was told it might be possible early next week.
Days until home
Day 22: Saturday 6th November.
Physio came and got me out of my chair and got me to walk. I did four laps of of the ward at four litres.
Face sore off the ventilator when in the induced coma.
Bruising to my stomach from all the injections
Set Back
Day 23: Sunday 7th November.
My temperature was going up and down. The doctors think I had an infection. Chest x-ray came back clear but they think it was in my arm. I am put on oral antibiotics, oxygen put up to eight litres.
Day 24: Monday 8th November.
Temperature is still going up and down and I'm still on antibiotics. I feel ok but a bit down in the dumps.
Day 25: Tuesday 9th November.
My temperature is still the same, up and down but not dangerously high.
Day 26: Wednesday 10th November.
They have decided to stop oral antibiotics and go with a drip fed in to my arm twice a day for 48 hours.
Day 27: Thursday 11th November.
Temperature going back to normal so they dropped oxygen down to 2.5litres.
Day 28: Friday 12th November.
Drip finished and went back to oral antibiotics.
Day 29: Saturday 13th November.
They dropped oxygen down to one litre. No mask now, just nasal. Temperature was fine.
Day 30: Sunday 14th November.
Still on nasal oxygen. At 3pm I was taken completely off oxygen. It felt strange and frightening. I went for a walk to the toilet without oxygen.
Home
Day 31: Monday 15th November.
I had a good sleep and was told at 10am by the doctor that I could go home. Sarah picked me up at 3.15pm home by 4pm. Very strange. First night back at home. The challenge is to get up the stairs, which I was worried about. I managed, but once I got to the top, I was out of breath, but soon recovered. I slept well.
On nasal oxygen went home the next day..
With thanks…….
Day 32: Tuesday,16th November.
So, after 23 days of being in hospital, 10 of them in ICU, all the doctors and nurses said I have made a remarkable recovery. I am so grateful that I had both jabs as this saved my life. I would like to thank the staff in ICU for all the care they gave me, which got me back on my feet. Also, all the nurses and doctors on Beech Ward for all the care and help they gave me. My family and I can't thank you enough.
(Sarah) This has been a horrendous time for my family. Thankfully Raymond is home and alive which is all we prayed for. He has lost three stones while he was in hospital and he's determined to carry on losing weight and to get healthier with his breathing. I would like to thank the people of Alston Moor for the concerns, best wishes and cards and flowers. It helped greatly to know that Alston Moor cares for us.
