Amazon’s oxygen gizmo saved my life
A MUM of two who spent 12 days on a Covid-19 ward over Christmas says an Amazon oximeter saved her life.
Nikki O’Hara was rushed to hospital days after testing positive for the virus on her son’s birthday, December 17.
Her husband Rodger had contracted the virus and suffered very mild symptoms.
The 53-year-old children’s charity director continued to work from her home in Strathaven, Lanarkshire, while self-isolating.
She bought an oximeter – which measures oxygen saturation levels – on Amazon after friends suggested it, but assumed she would never have to use it. Now, she credits the gadget with saving her life.
On December 23, Nikki called NHS 24 after her symptoms got worse. Staff on the phone asked her to use the oximeter to measure her blood oxygen levels – and became concerned when she told them the results.
She was rushed to A&E at University Hospital Hairmyres as she struggled to breathe.
Nikki told the Record: “When I started to feel ill, I thought I’ll just be like everyone else and have a bit of a cough and a headache. I kept thinking, ‘How am I here? I’ve been pretty responsible the last 11 months’.”
For two days she was kept stable on antibiotics but her condition went downhill and she developed a high temperature and pneumonia.
Kids Katrin, 22, and Tom, 19, were “absolutely terrified” as their mum’s condition worsened.
Nikki was given an IV and steroids before being placed on oxygen as she struggled to breathe on her own. She then slowly began to recover and was released on January 5.
Now at home, Nikki said: “I’m not an anxious person – probably the opposite – but I am scared of going out my house.”
She hailed NHS staff as “superheroes” and urged people to follow the rules.
Nikki added: “I am still scared but know I am also the luckiest girl in the world.
“It will be a long journey both emotionally and physically, but I am alive and I am getting better every day.”