A dad in Edinburgh left doctors stunned when he miraculously recovered from a life-threatening infection after his family were told to say their final goodbyes.
Freddy White, 45, was rushed to hospital after collapsing at his son's football game. After he was taken to the Western General hospital medics discovered he had deadly pneumonia.
The dad from Moredun says that as he drifted in and out of consciousness it was fighting talk from his partner Michelle, 44, and 12-year-old son Mason's tears from crying on his chest that helped him pull through.
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Speaking to Edinburgh Live, the dad said: "I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at five months old and the doctor said I wouldn't make it to 12. As I got older, I just got fitter and stronger.
"I played football twice a week and the cystic fibrosis didn't hold me back and I was barely in hospital at all but when I was 38 everything hit me at once.
"I noticed I couldn't play football anymore and when I was diving for the ball I could feel my lungs burning. I went to the doctors and it wasn't good news."
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited condition that causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system. This causes infections and problems with digesting food.
Treatments are available to help reduce the problems caused by the condition and make it easier to live with, but sadly life expectancy is shortened.
He explained: "I lost the sight in my right eye, my lung collapsed as I got vasculitis and my cystic fibrosis flared up for the first time since I was a child.
"Losing my sight was probably the worst thing ever, I have been in and out of hospital ever since then and in ward 54 at the Western General.
"It hit me really hard and I saw a lot of changes in the hospital over the last six years. Nurses that I had known my whole life were being overstretched and leaving which was really hard and the new ones coming in had less experience with cystic fibrosis.
"A month ago I was rushed into hospital after collapsing at my son's football game after kicking the ball and falling onto my side.
"I was rushed in by ambulance and found out I had pneumonia, I was on morphine and strong medication for the pain and thought I would be spending months in hospital.
"I was put into ward 54 and someone on the cystic fibrosis team found me unresponsive in my room, I had overdosed on morphine because my kidneys weren't flushing out anything.
"I had to be brought back through an adrenaline shot and it was like being hit by lightning - you feel all sorts of sensations and pains all at once."
It was touch and go and medics advised Freddy's loved ones to say their goodbyes in case his condition didn't improve.
"All I remember is my partner holding my hand and saying, 'Freddy you need to get through this' , she told me again and again, 'I know you can fight this' as I was drifting in and out of consciousness.
"That's all I could hear clearly during this time, that and my son's wet tears on my stomach as he hugged me and cried. I knew I had to fight it for both of them and wanted to tell my son no matter what happens I would always love him and be with him.
"They were told to say their goodbyes - I had low chances of survival."
Weeks went by and day by day Freddy got stronger - thanks to the support of his family and hero medics at the Western General.
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The dad explained: "The staff on ward 54 were incredible, I was in four exactly four weeks and got to go home the day before my birthday. Doctors were bamboozled by how quickly I recovered after being so unwell.
"Within weeks I was sitting up and talking and eventually found the strength to start walking again.
"I'm still on lots of pain meds but pleased to be at home so I could spend my birthday with my family. They offered me a chair for leaving the hospital but I was adamant I would walk.
"I managed to walk and all the nurses on the ward made a guard of honour for me leaving - it was so special. The cystic fibrosis team were incredible, if Julie the nurse hadn't been passing I wouldn't have made it.
"There were so many times I didn't think I would make it. I don't have the words to express my gratitude and can't praise the staff enough."
Finally, he added: "It has been so tough and I'm just going to take it easy now but it will take time. With each new infection I get with cystic fibrosis I get hit harder and the odds of recovering drop and could be the last one.
"I have a really positive family around me and I am a positive person. I just keep positive and keep going, Michelle and my son are the best thing that ever happened to me - she is my rock."
If you have a story you would like to share get in touch at iona.young@reachplc.com. You can also find out more about cystic fibrosis and issues mentioned in this article here.
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