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.

Op, sending best wishes for your friends.

Is it not true that the vast majority of deaths has been older people or those with underlying health conditions though?

I would fall into that category I'm 63 and asthmatic. It is easily controlled by medication and I lead a normal life. Many of the people in this category are like me.

You missed my point about technology.

You missed my point about riots. Remember a few years ago when there were riots because the police shot someone? That was when there was food in the shops and people weren’t so stressed.

BlueSky - he has no underlying conditions that I'm aware of. His daughter has a chronic illness so he has been very careful - she doesn't live with him thankfully.

Thanks for all your well wishes, I will update when I hear any more news.

It is a terrible thought to think that you might be responsible for the death of another, either because you directly or indirectly infected them in the midst of an epidemic but failed realise or because the health service was unable to deal with 'normal' emergencies because your actions led to it being overwhelmed.

But it is quite likely if we listen to front line workers that this is the case. It is the ugly truth.

Yes, it is unpalatable. Yes, it might be an over exaggeration. But, fuck, what if it's not?

Very similar has happened to my god daughter. It's very scary.

I think what people aren't grasping is the definition of mild. Mild has been classified for this disease as not requiring additional oxygen support, NOT a bit of a cough but can go about your daily life. A lot of people think they've had it as well because they had a sore throat and a cough for a few days, no, you had a bug, 98% are symptomatic to the point it has a significant impact on their ability to function normally.

There's morons in every age group.
THIS^
Young people want to have fun
Middle age/parents want to freak out and stockpile
Old aged want to pretend they're as strong as the young

Agreed it's not to be taken lightly. I'm sitting here with a bad cough and my lungs are hurting more day by day... and news that my local hospital is full and is turning people away

But still... what will you do after a lockdown?

My town is absolutely hiving with the elderly who won't bloody stay in.

Same in my village. Inc my parents (not classed as elderly but both on medication). I can't physically force them to stay inside.

There is no telling some people how to behave - that's why police exist. They won't follow rules, so they need force.

So sorry about your friend OP, I really hope he recovers.

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 don't understand why he wasn't. All routine elective surgery has been cancelled and we don't have high numbers of Covid patients in hospitals yet so what is causing the 5 hour delays for ambulances or refusing to even take a patient to hospital with a fever of 40C and symptoms of possible pneumonia?

I've just had a telephone consultation at a very big London hospital. In conversation I was told there are less than 30 possible Covid patients in the hospital now ( though they think this will double over the weekend) but if all elective surgery is cancelled what is making the hospital's too busy to admit very sick people?

Sending to you OP x

Hearhooves - I have no idea. From others it sounds like there is an unacceptable wait for ambulances sans pandemic so perhaps even the few cases now has tipped the system over. Perhaps there are a lot of paramedics self isolating with what may or may not be covid but unable to be tested? I don't know that we will ever know the truth - the spin doctors are in overdrive.

Good speech.

Sorry wrong thread!

The hospitals were full before the crisis. We have less ITU beds proportionately than most other European countries - certainly less than Italy. The more people that require critical care and respirators, the lower the age that will be given intervention will get. One of the London hospitals is already saying 60 as a cut-off.

The wait for ambulances is probably exacerbated by having to deep clean them after every suspected case they take in. It will take much longer for them to be available again normally.

Is it wise to admit people with Covid unless they are verging on needing ITU? It will just spread round the hospital like wildfire. Unjustified unless early pre-ITU intervention really makes a difference. I've not seen any evidence it does.

IIRC there have been some reports of drug trials showing some success when the infection is in the earlier stages.

We don't have high numbers of Covid patients in hospitals yet.

In London? We definitely do, several London hospitals now have over 100 confirmed COVID patients, many in ITU. Obviously don't want people to panic but in London at least the situation is already critical.

This is what's happening in Italy now. They won't take you to hospital unless you are very gravely ill. The health system is already at breaking point.

Of course wet have high numbers of patients, they are mostly only testing people going into hospital. St Thomas in London had 3 wards full, my mum works there.

We don't have high numbers of Covid patients in hospitals yet.
We do. I’m in London. It’s already beyond capacity. I’ve just had cancer surgery, the only surgery going ahead, because the hospital has closed everything else to cope.

So sorry about your friend . I’ve just lost an auntie to the virus . It’s awful and I’m ever so scared

@ohnoducks Yeah I dont think people get that, I've not been out of bed for over a week, feel awful, chest pain, high pulse rate etc but I dont need oxygen so I'm just at home..it's been awful but am improving x

GaaaaarlicBread so sorry to hear that. Awful disease.