‘Odds were stacked against me’: Mother’s remarkable recovery
An Edinburgh NHS worker has been reunited with her family after a “remarkable” coronavirus recovery.
Karen Mccabe, 44, has been discharged from hospital after being treated in intensive care.
The NHS worker, who suffers from diabetes, was sedated and put on a ventilator at the capital’s Western General Hospital after she contracted Covid-19.
“Last Monday I sent a few text messages to my partner to tell the kids how much I loved them because I thought that was me,” she told BBC Breakfast.
However, yesterday morning Karen told the programme she had fully recovered from the disease and was at home with her family. She described her recovery, which was complicated by her diabetes, as “remarkable” and said she “had a nice long bath” to unwind once she was home.
Karen’s partner Robert told how he had managed their two children, seven-year-old Anna and four-year-old Joe, through the crisis. “Not being able to see your loved ones is the hardest part,” he said. “But the kids have been great, they’ve been doing as they’re told.”
While Karen was in hospital, Robert said “we did the Facetime thing with mum a few times”.
Karen recalled of coming down with Covid-19: “My four-year-old son started to display some symptoms. He began to cough and have a high temperature.”
Days later Karen developed mild symptoms too before her condition worsened.
“It was like someone literally flipped a switch in my body, and on the Friday evening ... I literally couldn’t breathe,” she said.
After a night of fever, vomiting, and aches, Karen called NHS 24 and was admitted to the Western General Hospital.
Asked what message she would give to other people, Karen replied “People will be frightened, there’s no doubt about that – you can’t take that away.
“But early intervention is really important. Make contact with NHS 24.”
Referring to her underlying condition, Karen said: “The odds were stacked against me, but at the height of my symptoms I got help early.
“Just call NHS 24. The quicker you can get in and get assessed, the better.”