Gran’s virus ordeal
A gran with asthma caught COVID-19 after only one trip out in three months.
The 62-year-old went to the supermarket once early in the morning when there was no click and collect appointment available.
Despite handwashing, sanitising the trolley and staying away from other shoppers‘Jane’contracted the virus and was hospitalised at Crosshouse.
The married mother, who wants to remain anonymous, presented her story to the NHS Ayrshire & Arran board last Monday.
She described how kind hospital staff became her“everything”as her husband and children couldn’t visit.
Commenting on her single trip out to food shop during lockdown last year she said:“Whilst I did all I could, I was surprised at the number of people without masks and who had no qualms about brushing against people to reach items on the shelves, rather than waiting until the person moved away.”
Ten days later the grandmother-ofone woke at 5am - unable to breathe and was taken to hospital by ambulance. A doctor wearing PPE assessed Jane and voiced concerns about her having coronavirus - and a test came back positive.
Jane said:“She told me she was worried I may have Covid and that was when I remembered my solitary trip to the supermarket. Surely not. I hadn’t left my home in almost three months and on the one occasion I do I contract coronavirus? Surely my luck wasn’t that bad?”
Jane stayed in a ward for 12 days of treatment where she was on increasing amounts of oxygen - and narrowly avoided the high dependency unit.
She described how the NHS staff became her“surrogate family.”
Jane said:“For the first nine days they had to help me with everything, from doing the toilet to getting washed and dressed, to helping me mobilise around my room to build me back up. At all times, I was treated with kindness and compassion and nothing was too much trouble. They helped me use Zoom to be able to speak to all my family together as without a shadow of a doubt, not being able to see my family whilst I was in hospital was the hardest part of the experience.”
Reflecting on the illness, Jane said:“I am now at home and none the worse for my Covid experience. I hope my story serves to remind people of how easy it can be to contract Covid-19 - my own single trip to the supermarket was all that was needed for me to get it.”
She expressed her appreciation for the all the staff she made contact with including the paramedics, porters and “domestic”workers.
She said:“In many ways, I feel like I owe my life to my local NHS Heroes.”
After hearing about Jane’s story at the NHS meeting, member Margaret Anderson said:“It jumped out to me how quickly she contracted the virus.
“I think there is a message out there to give to people about how it can creep up on you. You are taking precautions but it can still sneak in.”
Another board member Linda Semple described Jane’s story as “incredibly moving.”
A rural business group has appointed a new chairwoman to help ensure the needs of farmers, estates and local communities are met.
Laura Warrender, a partner of Minuntion Estate near Girvan, has been appointed Clydeside chairwoman of Scottish Land & Estates (SLE). She will work with their chairman Mark Tennant, and chief executive SarahJane Laing, colleagues and members to ensure that the needs of farmers, rural businesses, estates and local communities across Clydeside are considered by governments. Mum-oftwo Laura said: “I would like to help other farms and estates to become accredited by WES - a programme run by SLE which recognises landowners who are committed to best practice in conservation, habitat and wildlife management.”