Cape Town – Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital nurse Brenda Joshua says it was her “hope and faith” which pulled her through her battle with Covid-19 in the intensive-care unit (ICU).
She shared her story of recovery just as Robson Shaby, a 30-year-old Malawian who overcame all odds to beat Covid-19, became one of the first critically ill recoveries at Victoria Hospital.
Joshua said the three days and nights she spent in ICU were some of the scariest moments of her life.
“Seeing others intubated really got to me, wondering if I would see my family again, or whether that was the last goodbye when I greeted my son at home.
“Going through that time was really difficult,” she said.
She said when she felt ill and had shortness of breath, she immediately informed her supervisor and was sent to the staff screening and testing facility at the hospital.
Joshua said when she received the results that she was positive, she entered quarantine with her son, as he was a close contact.
A few days into isolation, she started feeling worse and struggled with shortness of breath.
Robson Shaby Picture: Supplied
Being a diagnosed asthmatic, she was concerned, so her son called for an ambulance.
Joshua was transferred to a medical facility, where she was treated with high-flow oxygen and started her road to recovery.
“A positive mindset is essential to overcome this coronavirus.
“A high level of anxiety is not good for your overall health. Listen to the experts and confirm facts.
“The one thing I want to stress is that when you are weak and in your bed, whether in hospital or at home, there is always hope.
“The front-line hero for me during my battle with Covid-19 was God. Faith and hope pulled me through,” she said.
In mid-April, Shaby was admitted to Victoria Hospital with severe Covid-19 pneumonia that resulted in him requiring increasing amounts of supplemental oxygen.
He was admitted to the high-care unit (HCU) as the first Covid-19 positive patient requiring long-term critical care. Due to the severity of the viral infection he ultimately required invasive mechanical ventilation and was ventilated for almost four weeks, the provincial health department said.
Thanks to the hard work of the medical team, ICU nurses, anaesthetists, allied professionals and support staff, Shaby was eventually off ventilation after three weeks.
Dr Caryl Hollmann, head of department of anaesthesia, said there were multiple eventful times during his stay in ICU, especially after hours.
“If it were not for the dedication of the on-call physician and ICU staff, a different outcome may have occurred.
“Although Shaby initially also required a feeding tube and a tracheotomy, the hard work of our physiotherapists and dietitians meant that he could eventually have both removed and start speaking and eating for
the first time in three weeks,” Hollmann said.