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WATCH: Covid-19 patient returns home after nearly three months at Walsall hospital

A coronavirus patient has returned home to his family after spending nearly three months fighting the disease in a Black Country hospital.

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Keith Holland spent nearly three months at Walsall Manor Hospital battling Covid-19

Engineering director Keith Holland said he was looking forward to going back to his "own space" after being applauded out of Walsall Manor Hospital on Saturday.

The 67-year-old was taken ill with his temperature spiking at around 39 to 40 degrees on March 26, following a normal working day.

Paracetamol wasn't working so his wife, Carol, called NHS 111 who advised them to call an ambulance.

He ended up going into the hospital on March 30 and was in the acute medical unit, before being moved to intensive care.

WATCH: Covid-19 patient applauded at Walsall Manor

Keith, who spent his birthday in hospital, had seen media coverage of patients on ventilators after contracting coronavirus and became really scared when the critical care team at the hospital advised that he would need to go on a ventilator too.

He said: "I really did not want to be put on a ventilator – my first thought was that I would never survive because the media coverage had been so scary and depressing.

"But I was told this was going to be the best treatment for me because of how serious my condition was, I was struggling to breathe.

"About half way through that time my wife received a phone call where she was told I wasn’t expected to live because my condition was so poor. I am very pleased to have proved everyone wrong!”

When Keith had a tracheostomy, he remembers waking up with his head on a nurse's lap, looking up at her. She started to cry as she was so emotional at seeing him come round – and Keith says this is just one example of the compassion shown and how dedicated staff were during the pandemic.

Keith said: "I was cared for by so many good staff and that day, when I saw the nurse in tears it made me realise that not everyone comes round and not everyone is going to make it.

"The psychological effect of this virus needs to be understood as well as the physical aspect. I must have been hallucinating or imagining things but on one occasion I can remember seeing my son, so vividly, with a trolley.

"I know now that didn’t happen but to me it was so clear. The rehab team are helping me with the psychological part of my recovery and the physios have been fantastic at helping me to stand and walk.”

Keith has some weakness on his left side ad has been cared for on ward 15 for the last few weeks. He also received care on ward 17 earlier in May following a short, second spell in intensive care unit. While he was disappointed to be back in intensive care from a recovery point of view, staff moved his bed outside for a short period so he could see his family.

He said: "My wife Carol, daughter Steph and her husband Rob, son Dave and daughter-in-law Louise have been such a support and I am really looking forward to being back at home with my family, in my own space, my own surroundings.

"I am also really looking forward to seeing my grandchildren Amelia and Toby. I know it’s going to take a while to get back to normal but I will always be grateful for all the care I have had to get me this far.”

His wife Carol added: “I don’t know what I’ve have done without Siobhan Rudd from the intensive care unit who acted as family liaison. She was a lovely person and really helped me to understand what was going on at the worst point in my life.

"That link between the family and the hospital when you’re unable to visit is so important.”

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