An ambulance driver who nearly died from COVID-19 has thanked those who saved her life and members of the public who helped raise thousands of pounds for her.
Emilie Sanderson is now back at home and continuing her recovery after her family and partner Simon were told to expect the worst on Christmas Eve.
After contracting the virus in November, the 42-year-old from Moulton Chapel spent 54 days in Peterborough City Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit – 43 of which were in an induced coma.
“I think all of us ambulance drivers knew we were probably expecting to get it at some point, just because of the nature of our work,” Emilie said.
“But I thought I’d just feel a bit rubbish for a while and then go back normal. I never expected it to affect me like it did.
“Yes, I’ve got a high Body Mass Index, but I’m otherwise strong and healthy.”
Emilie said she initially “felt rough” before beginning to struggle to breath as she came down with the virus.
Initially she was told not to go to hospital because she could still speak and was told it would clear up in a few days. However she was admitted later that day.
Emilie says she’d never spent a night in hospital before. She ended up there for nearly 60 days, 43 of which were on life support.
“I think it’s been worse on my family and friends. I’ve spent most of it snoozing blissfully unaware.
“It’s the time I can’t get my head around. It felt like I was only in hospital three or four days.
“I couldn’t believe it when they told me it was January.”
It’s believed Emilie contracted the virus at work when she transported a dementia patient who refused to wear a mask.
Emilie said of her experiences in hospital: “It’s obviously not the nicest place to be, though the staff make it as comfortable as possible.
“It’s not nice to know that someone on the bed next to you is surrounded by curtains and are on the way out.
“It was quite scary, especially with my tracheotomy meaning I wasn’t able to speak so I couldn’t communicate.
“It took me two weeks to write again as my hands wouldn’t work. It certainly makes you look at life differently.
“I see people moaning about trivial things like the weather on social media and I realise it’s not important.”
Emilie is now home and being looked after by partner Simon and for the first time she recently managed to gather the strength to walk down and see her beloved horses.
A collage of pictures of the animals was created and delivered to the hospital by friend Judith Rak to help her recovery.
It was one of an incredible amount of well wishes.
Her friend Emma Message also set up a Just Giving appeal which raised over £2,800.
Emilie’s first physiotherapy session utilising that money is booked in.
And Emilie says she’ll let the staff at Peterborough ICU decide what the remaining funds will go on.
She’s also already bought them all pizzas as a thank you.
“It’s nice to be home though it’s going to be a slow recovery. The generosity of people, including many I don’t know, is just amazing.
“It’s not really something I usually do so I’m a little bit awkward with it, but I can’t thank everyone who donated or left well wishes enough.
“It was just amazing and means so much to me and the family.
“I also can’t stress enough how brilliantly the staff in the hospital were. I don’t think they realise how amazing they are.
“Even with what’s going on around them, they keep so upbeat.”
