A man is celebrating his “second chance at life” a year on from surviving Covid-19 in intensive care at St Thomas’ hospital last Easter.
Mike Bainbridge, 45, tested positive for Covid-19 after losing his sense of taste and smell on Good Friday 2021.
South Londoner Mike said: ““After a week of suffering from a temperature, feeling run down and not getting any better, my wife bought a pulse oximeter online and my oxygen levels measured 85 per cent which was far too low. She called an ambulance and after a few tests, I was taken to A&E at St Thomas’ Hospital. That’s the last thing I really remember, until I woke up on intensive care a few days later.”
He was ventilated and put on life support to keep his brain and heart working for four days. He spent another five days recovering in the intensive care unit after coming off life support, and then another week in a general ward.
Mike said: “My memory is quite fuzzy of being in St Thomas’, but all of the staff were amazing. I owe them my life. What they do on a daily basis is incredible – such a selfless approach to caring for another person during a pandemic.”
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Mike then returned home with his wife, and took a couple of weeks off work to recuperate.
He said: “In a follow-up appointment last September, a scan of my lungs showed no lasting damage which was such a relief and I know I’m very fortunate. I was shown an x-ray taken of my lungs when I was admitted to hospital, and it looked like cotton wool as there were so many blood clots in my lungs.
“It took me a couple of months for my energy levels to return as I found walking around my flat tiring, whereas before I caught Covid-19, I enjoyed running and cycling. I slowly increased my fitness routine to build up my strength. In November I managed to complete a 5km run every day! I’m so incredibly grateful for all of the staff at St Thomas’ – they’ve given me a second chance at life as things could have gone so very differently.”
Katie Susser, critical care recovery nurse lead at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said Mike’s recovery had been “exceptional”. She added that her team was “thrilled to hear how well Mike is doing.”
“Knowing he has made a full recovery, and can spend this Easter with his family doing the things he loves, makes it worthwhile.”