Father-of-five Stacy Mould received a guard of honour from those who saved his life after beating coronavirus.
Staff lined the corridor and clapped as the Ely Tigers Rugby Club player was discharged from Peterborough City Hospital to continue his recovery at home from Tuesday, May 12.
The 42-year-old patient, who lives in March, spent three weeks in critical care fighting COVID-19 after being brought to hospital via ambulance when he began to have trouble breathing at home.
He was then transferred to the critical care unit where he was put on a ventilator to help him breathe.
“At first I thought had the flu, but after four or five days I realised something wasn’t right,” Stacy said.
“It felt ten times worse than flu. A couple of days later, I couldn’t catch my breath.
“My wife rang an ambulance and I was blue lighted to the hospital where they took me to critical care. I don’t remember much from that point, but I’ve been told that I text my wife to tell her not to panic, but I was going to sleep for three to four days.”
Stacy was very poorly, but gradually his condition started to improve and after three weeks, he was taken off the ventilator to breathe by himself again.
Once his condition improved, Stacy was moved to ward B12 for five days where he continued to recover and receive support from the rehabilitation team.
“The doctors and the nursing team on critical care were brilliant,” he said.
“I received one-to-one care on the ward and it made a big difference having that one person you could rely on to support you and keep you calm.
“They also made sure that my wife was kept up-to-date and knew what was happening throughout the time I was there. I can’t thank them enough.”
While Stacy was ill, his wife Sarah has raised over £2,500 for the intensive care unit at Peterborough City Hospital with the help of friends and family, something he could not be more grateful for.
“Even though she was worried about me and busy looking after the children, she still found the strength to start fundraising for the hospital to thank them for the care I had received,” Stacy added.
“The target was £500, but she has now raised over £2,500. I don’t know how she does it, she is a star.
“The physiotherapist said I was doing well to progress to walking quickly and I think that was down to the lifestyle I usually lead. I play rugby and use the gym regularly, so I am quite fit and healthy.
“Now that I am home, I am doing my physiotherapy exercises and managing more and more steps every day.”
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