A local 55-year-old has sent a video of himself enjoying his hobby of roller-skating in Greenwich Park as a thank you to NHS staff who gave him “life-saving” intensive care treatment whilst he suffered from coronavirus.
Clayton Jean-Charles, father of four, has leapt back into his favourite hobby just two weeks after he was discharged from University Hospital Lewisham where he said he underwent a “life-changing experience.”
Mr Jean-Charles was rushed to hospital after he began hallucinating from a fever and received extensive help with his breathing from a ventilator during his scary stay in hospital.
But the local resident was recorded already back on his roller-skates in Greenwich Park, and sent the video to staff at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust as a thank you for helping him recover.
Describing what he went through, Clayton said he had been experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, including high temperature, shortness of breath and an extremely sore throat, so opted to self-isolate at home.
But his temperature quickly worsened, and he developed a fever.
Clayton said: “My wife contacted NHS 111 when the fever got worse: I was starting to hallucinate and felt terrible.
“After nine days at home, I was taken to University Hospital Lewisham by ambulance on 11 April.”
He was admitted a coronavirus ward and immediately put on oxygen, but was moved to the intensive care unit after his condition worsened further.
At the worst point, the 55-year-old was then put on a CPAP machine in order to help him breathe but after a few weeks he began to pull through.
Jean-Charles was eventually moved onto a cardiology ward after he start to feel better.
“Eventually, after almost three weeks in hospital, I was able to go home on 29 April,” he said.
"There were two things that really kept me going while I was in hospital – wanting to see my family and four girls again, and the encouragement of all the staff.
“They all worked so hard, and treated patients with such compassion and care; it was so inspiring.
“I cannot describe how amazing the staff were, and am welling up a bit just thinking about it.
“It was a life-changing experience to witness the grace, kindness and understanding of all the doctors, nurses, physios and other healthcare staff. I looked forward to seeing them every day and they were so positive and caring.”
Jean-Charles works as a plumber, but said he had been “truly inspired” by the wonderful work of the physiotherapists and was now determined to do part-time physiotherapy work.
"The physios gave me exercises to help me get back to normal and were incredibly patient and positive. It really has been a life-changing experience.”
Jean-Charles added: "I still have a bit of a way to go to get back to full health, the fact that I was well enough to go roller-skating in the park less than two weeks after being discharged shows how much better I am.
“I sent a short film of myself roller-skating to the staff who treated me to say thank you. I really can’t thank them enough; they are amazing."
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