Family’s relief after beloved mother survives coronavirus
NICOLA FINDLAY
The family of an East Kilbride care home resident have spoken of their relief and gratitude following her recovery from COVID-19.
Lorna Marks said she was ‘taken aback’ to find out her 77-year-old mum Elizabeth – known as Lesley – Whiteford, had tested positive for the virus early last month at her home in council-run McKillop Gardens.
The former teacher moved to the East Kilbride facility last January.
South Lanarkshire Council confirmed to the News last week that Lesley was their only confirmed COVID-19 case in their homes.
And Lorna said she ‘can’t thank the team enough’ for being Lesley’s ‘second family’ and taking such good care of her while loved ones are forced to be apart.
She said: “Mum had been unwell and was being treated for an underlying infection with antibiotics, but after two courses she hadn’t been picking up. She also had a mild fever and had been off her food, which is really unlike her, so the decision was taken to swab her for coronavirus.
“In the two days it took for the results to come back we actually felt she was picking up a little so when the positive diagnosis came, we couldn’t believe it.”
Lorna admitted that she and her brother feared the worst.
She went on: “Even in the early days of the pandemic it was clear just how dangerous this virus could be for older people, and we had made the difficult decision to stop visiting a good 10 days or so before the home put its own restrictions in place.
“This news was like a bolt from the blue and, being honest, our thoughts were pretty dark. We pretty much assumed this meant her life was at risk, and were worried sick about mum as well as what it might mean for her fellow residents.”
“The manager called, and we had a frank ‘what if ’ conversation. One issue was if mum should go to hospital if she deteriorated. Thankfully they agreed with me that staying at McKillop was best. I have complete faith in their level of care and how well they know mum, and really believed she would prefer to be there than in a strange hospital ward.”
With residents living in their own selfcontained spaces, and able to isolate, Lesley, was treated safely and effectively at McKillop without any need for a hospital admission.
Lorna added: “I cannot say enough good things about the team and what they did, not just for mum, but for us as a family at such a scary time. If we couldn’t be with her then her ‘McKillop family’ are the next best thing.
“The compassion and care mum has been shown made this whole experience so much easier and I am incredibly grateful to each of them for looking after her and aiding her recovery.
“Mum is safe and happy and that’s all down to the people that work there and the environment they have created. I will always be grateful to them for giving us hope and reassurance that a diagnosis of COVID-19 in a care home setting doesn’t always mean the worst.”