A WELL-KNOWN Enniskillen businessman has spoken very highly of the healthcare staff at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) who he believes saved his life after he was diagnosed with double pneumonia and Covid-19.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter on Tuesday, a week after he was discharged from hospital, Ivan Kee described his experience of battling Covid-19 and how at one stage he thought he was going to die.

First symptoms

Ivan explained that the first symptoms he experienced was that of a head cold, which developed into a flu, and then a persistent cough.

“That led me to believe that it wasn’t just a normal flu that was coming on,” he told this newspaper.

“I was persuaded to go for the test at St. Angelo on the Saturday, and the next morning I got a call to say I was [Covid-19] positive.

“It wasn’t too long after that that I knew things were on the downhill spiral.”

From that point, Ivan was in bed full time on paracetamol. He would fall asleep, then wake up sweating.

Uncontrollable shaking

He also experienced uncontrollable shaking, and when he tried to get out of bed, he’d fall back into it.

“I knew things were getting out of control very quickly,” said Ivan.

He then had his oxygen level taken.

“It was at a danger level, and that was when I was advised by Sandra, our youngest girl in Scotland, to ring for the ambulance,” he said, noting that this was when he started to worry.

“I said to myself, ‘Ivan you are not in a good position here’. I was scared. I thought I was going to join our beloved Shirley, who we lost three months ago,” said Ivan, his voice breaking.

When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics did tests on Ivan to ensure that he was a suitable candidate for hospital.

“I was very glad that they decided yes, because it gave me the confidence to go, knowing that I would be in the best place in the world to get the attention that I needed,” he said.

Ivan spent his first night at the SWAH in A&E and was then taken to the Covid ward when a bed became available.

“The doctor soon came in and gave me the news that I had double pneumonia and Covid. I was so thankful to be there,” said Ivan, going on to say that over the next few days, the staff at the SWAH couldn’t have done enough for him.

“I cannot thank enough the crew that came to take me in, the A&E staff, and the Covid ward for looking after me,” he said, explaining that he was on oxygen full time for several days, and was also on a course of antibiotics.

After five days in hospital, Ivan was discharged, and is now continuing his recovery at home.

‘A long road for me’

“It’ll be a long road for me; it’ll be some time before I have the strength that I had before,” said Ivan, who at the moment is still very weak.

“I pray to God that I will make a full recovery very soon.

“The main message that I want to get across to people is please, please be careful. I thought I was playing it safe, but I was caught out, and I apologise for what I put people through, mmy family and the frontline staff.

“I just cannot say how grateful I am to everyone who has helped me along my way so far.

“I thank them for saving my life,” said Ivan, emotion evident in his voice.