A man who nearly died when spending almost three months in hospital has shared his harrowing story as he offered an emotional message to other Covid sufferers.
Derek Walsh, 65, was first admitted to Bradford Royal Infirmary in October 2020 with a severe headache and breathing difficulties.
He stayed in for 80 days - and almost lost his life on the wards when his kidneys and lungs were severely damaged by the virus, YorkshireLive report.
Now he is re-living his torment in the hope of encouraging others to get vaccinated.
While Derek was initially cared for on the Covid-19 ward, his condition deteriorated and he was moved to the Intensive Care Unit, where he was put on a ventilator and into an induced coma.
In December, Derek developed sepsis and his wife, Sue, was told the devastating news that he may not survive. However, doctors promised they would do everything they could to save him.
Thankfully, he survived to tell the tale of his extraordinary experience - and he went on to write an account of his health battle.
Personal 'Around the Wards in 80 Days: A Covid survivor’s story’ tells how Derek spent more than ten weeks in Bradford Royal Infirmary and Airedale Hospital.
Since being discharged, he has continued to need support from the NHS, after his kidneys and lungs were damaged by the virus.
“I still have symptoms of Long Covid and experience many different feelings and emotions, but I am on the whole very happy and glad to be alive,” said Derek.
He continued: “I am sincerely grateful to each and every person who has been involved in all of my care and treatment, whether directly or indirectly, frontline or background support, both past, present and future, because without you all, the outcome of this story could have been very different.
“The unwavering devotion of care and treatment from you all throughout my journey has far exceeded the expected call of duty and I am, and will always be forever, in your debt for all the blood, sweat, tears and care you give to all of your patients, not just myself.”
Derek said that writing down his experiences had helped him make sense of some of his memories and made him realise how fortunate he was to be alive.
“I hope it will be a morale boost for NHS staff, because I saw first-hand what they put into caring for people and I 100 per cent appreciate it,” he said. “I also hope it helps other people. If it encourages just one person to get vaccinated against this virus then I will be happy.”
Sue, a retired HR manager, said that both of them were fearful of catching Covid after Derek’s experience, but they are now enjoying their retirement together and taking walks in the sea air, at their holiday home in Hornsea.
“I lived through 80 days and nights of anxiety, worry and stress,” said Sue. “Visits were limited, but the staff at Bradford Royal Infirmary were fantastic and always kept me informed every day.
“When they told me they didn’t think he would make it, I sat on my own at home and prayed. I’m not a religious person, but I prayed. I was the happiest woman on earth when he started to show signs of recovery.”
The couple also chose to donate to the teams who provided Derek's life-saving treatment.
When the pair received an unexpected tax windfall, they agreed they wanted £1,000 to go to Bradford Hospitals ’ Charity (to be split between the ICU and renal department) and £1,000 to Airedale Hospital, where Derek also spent some time.
“I would like the money to go on the little extras which make a big difference,” said Derek. “For example, they gave me a pedal machine when I started my rehabilitation, but I could only use it for a limited time because other patients needed it. Items such as this, which are not paid for routinely by the NHS and are funded by the NHS charity, make a real difference.”
Renal consultant, Dr Mansoor Ali, who cared for Derek while he was in hospital and now in his clinic, said : “This story is truly remarkable and it goes on to tell you that COVID is there, COVID is real, COVID exists and COVID affects people and causes life changing complications, but thanks to the NHS, its resilient staff and its management, we have been able to provide an excellent treatment to our patients and see them recover from it.”
Hayley Collis, Head of Fundraising for Bradford Hospitals’ Charity, said: “We were blown away by Derek’s extraordinary story of resilience and recovery.
"I know I speak for all my NHS colleagues when I say how delighted we are to hear that he is doing so well now. We always appreciate feedback from our grateful patients, and we can’t thank him enough for his generous donation.
“As Derek says, it’s the extras which often make a big difference, and this is where our NHS charity comes in. Our charity enables Bradford Teaching Hospitals to do more for both patients and staff. We fund additional equipment, training, research and projects so staff can provide the very best care and treatment.
"We also provide funding for our Trust to upgrade equipment to the highest specification. We believe the people of Bradford deserve the very best and it is only because of the generosity of grateful patients such as Derek that we can help all our patients and families.”
