The corridor goes on and on but I know I can do it. I know I can get home again
FROM THE BOOK Here, in an extract from Dying To Live, published by Tippermuir, Grant Mcintyre describes his 128th and final day in hospital
It was time to go. Now was the time to leave behind the little world that had become the normal for me – Bed 3, Bay 3, Ward 3. I was ready and it was time to shine.
I walked out of the ward to loud applause and saw so many of the kind-hearted staff that had cared for me so well over the previous months. I had a glide in my stride. It was the equivalent of a child leaving a hospital cancer ward and ringing the bell with all the staff cheering.
I didn’t know it at the time but the news reports had carried stories of many other Covid-19 patients being clapped out of hospital and looking back, I am delighted that so many people have had the same phenomenal experience. Along with the staff who had cared for me were many colleagues from the hospital who, along with my family and friends, had worried and prayed for me continually. I was ecstatic at seeing them all in the same place. It was absolutely joyous.
I said to the physiotherapists two weeks before leaving that I did not want to leave in a wheelchair and in my head, having been wheeled in on a stretcher to hospital several months earlier, I wanted to walk out as a sign to myself at least that I had made considerable progress in my recovery so far.
I didn’t bargain for the sheer number of people clapping me out. I had no difficulty walking the walk and at one point raised my stick in the air to celebrate with some close colleagues that I spotted.
The corridor seemed to go on and on but I knew I could do it as we had done a trial walk during the week. The wheelchair was being pushed behind me as a back-up but there was no way I was going to use it until we reached the end of the corridor. I even managed a short speech thanking everyone. It was the least I could do.
Leaving, I knew I would no longer have the security of the hospital regime to rely on but I felt a sense of privilege having met so many exceptional NHS staff and having been given the opportunity to have had many positive experiences as an ICU and ward patient.
The various staff members had each played their part in my journey with the regular contact from family, friends and so many people in dentistry and orthodontics continually boosting my spirits.
Outside, the world was still in turmoil even though I had made a home run. There was work to do, recovery would take many more months of hard work.
Amanda and the rehabilitation team helped me into the car. It was easier than expected and we set off for home. It was a pleasant journey driving past the farms and buildings I recognised so well. We stopped in our village for bread.
I waited inside and enjoyed the sun warming the car.