Coronavirus patient thanks the Swindon hospital heroes who saved his life

The 43-year-old, who spoke on condition of anonymity described the NHS as a national treasure. “It’s a fantastic thing and we should so proud of it.” He was grateful to staff on Kingfisher ward, who spent several days fighting to cool his raging temperature.

Seventy two people have died with the virus at the Great Western Hospital, but the praise came as it emerged 100 coronavirus patients had been discharged after tests confirmed they had beaten the virus.

Hospital chief executive Kevin McNamara said: “All of the coverage that you see and hear about Covid can be quite overwhelming because the focus is on the distressing and tragic cases more often than not.

Kevin McNamara

“One of the things I find motivating is knowing there are people who come into hospital in a very poorly condition who get better. It makes all the effort, all the sacrifices the staff are making, feel worth it.

“It’s important for people to know that this is happening right on their doorstep, right in their local community given how much support we are getting from the community.”

Hours before the Adver spoke to Mr McNamara we were contacted by the former patient.

He was admitted in early April having gone to the acute medical unit with a temperature of 41C, a heart rate of 146 and breathing problems.

“I felt really hot, my heart was racing and I couldn’t breathe,” he said. Worried doctors raced him to the Shalbourne Suite, the private patient wing converted into a temporary coronavirus triage centre.

The patient said: “They were just amazing, all gowned up and took me off to take my observations and what have you.

“It was all a bit of a blur after that. I just remember being on a ward for a couple of days. They couldn’t get my temperature down, even though I felt freezing cold. They had three fans on me and packing ice around me. I was on oxygen.

Great Western Hospital

“It was like they’d been preparing for this for ever. For four to five days they couldn’t bring my oxygen down because my uptake wasn’t good enough. I was one of the lucky ones who didn’t go downhill.”

He added: “You go into a bit of a dip. I felt like I was in a coma for the first few days. They obviously tell you what they have to do, but I was totally unaware of what was going on.”

Eventually his temperature began to drop and his body’s ability to get oxygen into his blood improved. They tested him a number of times and he was finally found to have beaten the virus. After a week and a half on the ward he was discharged. “I felt quite scared, to be honest, about being taken off oxygen and discharged from hospital. You’ve got these warm arms wrapped around you when you’re in hospital.”

Nurses prepare to take tests from suspected coronavirus patients Picture: PA

He paid tribute the NHS heroes who saved his life. “I would like to praise all of them. The problem is you don’t recognise them because they are wearing masks and gowns.” But one was Dr Edward Barnes. “He’s the top heart consultant in the hospital but he was down on that ward in scrubs.”