Coma girl flies home to Scotland
A fitness instructor who was given just a 5% chance of survival after developing pneumonia during a holiday to Vietnam has finally returned to Scotland.
Mekala Osborne, 22, spent a fortnight in an induced coma as she fought for her life after contracting the deadly bug in September.
But yesterday she was well enough to fly back to the UK accompanied by her mum Yvonne McAulay and the team of medics who saved her life.
She is now continuing her recovery at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, not far from her home in Wallyford, East Lothian.
Last night her stepdad Jimmy McAulay, a taxi driver, said: “Mekala is safely home, with no problems.
“Hermumisso excited as I am that she’s home and safe but there’s still a long way to go.”
Mekala was on a dream trip to south-east Asia when she developed a sore throat which she initially treated with Strepsils.
But she had to be rushed to hospital as her condition worsened and she was diagnosed with bronchial pneumonia.
Family friend Davie Martin, a DJ at Radio Saltire, launched a fundraising campaign and £12,000 was donated so her family could fly out to be at her bedside.
Mekala was then transferred to a hospital in Singapore, where Dr Winston Jong carried out lifesaving surgery.
Dr Jong was part of the three-strong medical team which accompanied her on a 13-hour flight from Singapore to Manchester.
Video footage was released of her being carried on a stretcher from the plane to a waiting critical care ambulance for the final leg of the journey.