Local resident back roller-skating just two weeks after ICU Covid-19 treatment “I cannot describe in words how amazing the staff at University Hospital Lewisham are.”
I still have a bit of a way to go to get back to full health, the fact that I was well enough to go roller-skating in the park less than two weeks after being discharged shows how much better I am
Local resident Clayton Jean-Charles has been getting back to his hobby of roller-skating in Greenwich park – with this footage taken just two weeks after Clayton was discharged from University Hospital Lewisham, where he received life-saving treatment for Covid-19. Clayton, 55, explains:
“After experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 – high temperature, extremely sore throat, shortness of breath – I stayed at home and self-isolated, but my temperature got worse and I developed a fever. My wife contacted NHS 111 when the fever got worse: I was starting to hallucinate and felt terrible. After nine days at home, I was taken to University Hospital Lewisham by ambulance on 11 April.
I was admitted to a ward and put on oxygen but was moved to the intensive care unit when I became even more unwell – so I could be put on a CPAP machine to help with my breathing. I was then moved to Cherry Ward (the cardiology ward) towards the end, when I started to feel a bit better. Eventually, after almost three weeks in hospital, I was able to go home on 29 April
“There were two things that really kept me going while I was in hospital – wanting to see my family and four girls again, and the encouragement of all the staff. They all worked so hard, and treated patients with such compassion and care; it was so inspiring. I cannot describe how amazing the staff were, and am welling up a bit just thinking about it. It was a life-changing experience to witness the grace, kindness and understanding of all the doctors, nurses, physios and other healthcare staff. I looked forward to seeing them every day and they were so positive and caring.
There were two things that really kept me going while I was in hospital – wanting to see my family and four girls again, and the encouragement of all the staff. They all worked so hard, and treated patients with such compassion and care; it was so inspiring.
“The physios gave me exercises to help me get back to normal and were incredibly patient and positive. I work as a plumber, but have been truly inspired by how wonderful the physiotherapists were and am now determined to train to do part-time physiotherapy work. It really has been a life-changing experience.
“I still have a bit of a way to go to get back to full health, the fact that I was well enough to go roller-skating in the park less than two weeks after being discharged shows how much better I am. I sent a short film of myself roller-skating to the staff who treated me to say thank you. I really can’t thank them enough; they are amazing.”
