Friend fighting for life

[Katyjane12]

My friend, healthy 38 year old man, has had a fever of over 40 degrees since Sunday and very sick but could not be admitted to hospital because temperature was not at 41. Wednesday morning was struggling to breathe - his wife called an ambulance - it took 5 hours to get to him. Central London. The paramedics said is likely covid but because his oxygen was ok they still wouldn't take him to hospital. He nearly died last night - the ambulance finally took him to hospital early this morning and he is now in ICU under general anaesthetic hooked up to machines and fighting for his life. This is a healthy young man. Please please isolate - this thing is very real and randomly lethal.

The point to this story is why is the nhs not admitting patients who are very unwell until they are nearly dead?

I'm so sorry to hear this.

I hope he pulls through. Glad your MP may raise it. Has he not even been tested then.

If his family could cope with it and can fully understand if they couldn't I would seriously consider going to the press. People and the government need to take it more seriously, starting to change but key worker list is crazily long and the only one parent requirement. Hopefully people will be responsible but many won't until it affects them.

Hugs hope he recovers, this is serious folks, the government should close pubs, ect then they can claim on the insurance.

Because they do not have enough capacity and so are trying to prioritise... that's the whole point of the idea of lockdown/self isolation/social distancing... but people aren't listening

I'm in France and from this side the UK policy looks absolutely fucking nuts. You have fewer icu beds than practically anywhere else and yet the government have got the fence wedged up to their eyeballs. Why don't they just stop bollocksing about and isolate everyone for as long as it takes. It's going to be a total shit fest in 3 weeks in the UK. It'll make Italy look like CoVid19 light.

So sorry for your friend and really hope he makes a full recovery.

It is shocking that the response was so bad (but I feel it is often bad even when there isn't a major crisis). I do feel we need to look at the NHS after this is all over and make sure that its funding is protected no matter what political party is in charge.

I also feel that with schools closing today stricter measures need to be implemented. We are keeping our children in, but already some are planning a meet up tomorrow.

Sorry I don't know how to reply to people individually - yes I will absolutely update about his diagnosis and how he progresses. How crazy is it that it takes so long to get a test result. I was ill last week also and couldn't get tested - I might now be immune and be able to help people self isolating. I hope there is an antibody test available soon.

Wallywobbles - I can't help but think you are right

I am really sorry your friend is suffering, and I hope his age and good health will help him pull through.

We should have closed the schools two weeks ago.
We should have closed all shops and restaurants two weeks ago.
We should have isolated two weeks ago.

We had a window of containment that passed the minute they mentioned herd immunity. I won't elaborate my feelings about scientific models being applied to real human beings, however anyone with even the merest shred of responsibility should be isolated unless they are doing something essential (List has already been published)

BORIS PLEASE USE THE LOCKDOWN NOW, not next week or whenever is palatable to the public. This is for their benefit. If the army are now ready, this is the moment, because if we wait too long so many lives will be lost, both young and old.

Apparently my 21 year old supposedly clever niece thinks it’s all overrated and scaremongering so she’s doing exactly what she wants (along with her stupid mother, my sister 😡). Shlepping around the shops? Pub tonight? Visit nonagenarian very frail parents? Refuse to use hand gel, masks, gloves? Yep. The whole caboodle.
Stupid, ignorant and should be locked up imo.

I'm sorry about your friend OP. I hope he makes a good recovery.

I'm 60 and work full time in the NHS. I go to and from work but otherwise I am practising social distancing in every way as far as possible. I don't class myself as old either but that's a whole other topic.

Unfortunately my 86 year old dad won't; he has dementia and COPD he won't stop going down to the local Sainsburys as he doesn't have capacity to make those sorts of ongoing decisions. In fact, the TV reports of food shortages have spurred him to go out MORE, not less, than he usually would. I can't keep him locked away so he's likely to catch it.

China shut the country and has seemingly killed it in a couple of months. Others are having success doing similar. Perhaps Mr Johnson is a wizard though and has a magical solution all of his own in which people can keep going down the pubs, keep going to work, we can still all cram into supermarkets without face masks, people can keep wondering around outside in large groups. I guess as long as we can keep pretending the number of cases is in the UK is 3,000 and not 100,000 we’ll be ok.

So very sorry to hear of this OP. It's everywhere. I wish your friend a speedy recovery. Stay safe

Meanwhile my neighbour has taken the bus into town to buy scented drawer liners. I just can’t get through to him how ridiculous and irresponsible and downright dangerous he is acting. He is going all over the place by bus on journeys that are totally unessential because he’s bored. He’s in his 60s and should know better. He’s not generally thick but he just doesn’t get it and is very selfish.

I hope your friend gets through this OP. Just read a very similar post by my consultant on twitter saying his nieces partner is in ICU in Milan where he’s from. Four other patients in the unit have died and he is desperately ill. He sounds to be a similar age to your friend OP. I wish Johnson would get emergency money to businesses and shut down bars, non essential shops, cafes etc. My friend said the cafe on the parade of shops where she lives was rammed with older people having cuppas yesterday afternoon. People of all ages aren’t listening or are but don’t think this applies to them.

He should have been admitted prev to a resp med ward give o2 and saline and iv paracetamol and then when deteriorated itu. Yes I am nurse and I'd be complaining

I'm so sorry about your friend. I am in a higher risk category and have been isolating since Tuesday. I am so scared of what might happen.

My boss now believes that he has the virus. I haven't seen him since Friday 13th (!) but was in the office on Monday, around everything that he had touched. Does anyone know what the typical incubation period is? If seven days go by and I'm showing no symptoms, can I assume that I haven't got it?

@Healthyandhappy
"The point to this story is why is the nhs not admitting patients who are very unwell until they are nearly dead?"

Because the NHS is already beyond capacity. The whole point of isolation and social distancing is to slow the spread. Every time someone thinks it's just popping out, won't matter etc etc they are potentailly sttetchungvthe NHS even further.

Please everyone just ask yourself how important it really is to go out and do what ever it is you "need" to go out and do.?? Worth someone's life??

Healthy how do you know 111 didn’t say wait, and then no ambulance for five hours

I'm so sorry for your friend and his family, @Katyjane12

I can't see how this can be resolved without us all being sent tests to our home.

I am some symptoms but don't know obviously if I have it. I'm staying in my bedroom as much as possible but can't see how I can stay in my room for two weeks without seeing my husband and children. My dog is paying me visits .

Whole thing sounds awful for you all. Best wishes for your friend- I'm sure he'll be ok xxxxx

Unfortunately, none of us can rely on an ambulance coming, regardless of what the problem is, this includes respiratory arrest and stroke and heart attacks. People will die even if they are younger.

The people acting like utter idiots (of all ages) in London suburbs need to read this. Gov must act - people just ignore "advice"

So sorry OP - best wishes💐

My adult stepson who works in a big city was overheard casually telling his dad he'll be visiting us on Sunday (as he usually does) lm not looking forward to that argument at all as just as, an aside my DH can never say no to him and pre Covid has caused many an argument between us. We are both early sixties and dh has an underlying health problem. SS is early thirties and very know it all and entitled. I'm dreading him coming because even if l steer clear l know DH will sit next to him etc. I just despair people aren't taking this seriously and l for one am terrified of catching it.

Your poor,poor friend. We need a full and complete lockdown, we are a selfish nation, who apparently dont give a shit. I've just been silenced in a fb group for telling a woman it was selfish to be considering small gatherings as they were very small and her 3 year old needed it for his mental health. FML you really can't argue with stupid.