[ad_1]
One of the hardest-hitting coronavirus patients in the UK may need a ventilator to help him breathe for the rest of his life, his wife said.
Jason Kelk has spent over 10 months in an intensive care unit at St James’ Hospital in Leeds after hiring COVID-19 in March of last year.
The 49-year-old remains on a ventilator and wears a kidney filter, but recently managed to take his first steps since he became seriously ill.
Jason Kelk fell seriously ill with coronavirus in April of last year. Photo: Sue Kelk
His wife Sue Kelk told Sky News: “It’s been a really long and horrible journey.
“For three weeks it was very easy. I was very, very sick.
“It got to the point where I wished he had died in April because nothing was going right … I was really suffering. It was terrible.”
Ms Kelk, a former nurse, said that a doctor told her that her husband is one of six or seven patients in the UK who are in her position.
He was admitted to the hospital on March 31, around the same time as Derek Draper, the husband of television presenter Kate Garraway, who has also become seriously ill after contracting the virus.
Derek Draper pictured with Kate Garraway in 2019. Photo: James Gourley / ITV / Shutterstock
Ms. Kelk said that her husband, an elementary school computer worker, had had difficulty breathing at home when paramedics advised him to take him to the hospital for a check.
She thought she would be coming home later that day, but a coronavirus test at the hospital came back positive and her condition quickly worsened.
After being initially treated in a COVID ward, Mr. Kelk was taken to intensive care on April 3 and put on a ventilator the next day, his wife said.
Kelk has been using a ventilator since April of last year after contracting COVID-19. Photo: Sue Kelk
After she became seriously ill, Ms. Kelk says she struggled to cope with the devastating effect the virus had on her husband.
“It’s been difficult for Jason,” he said. “He has suffered but I have gone to every step with him.
“I overdosed because I thought if I died, Jay would. It’s been absolutely terrible for everyone.
“It was an absolute nightmare. You feel completely useless.”
Ms. Kelk said that after April her husband gradually improved over the next several weeks and was recovering “really well,” but his condition worsened again.
Mr. Kelk doesn’t know when he will be able to leave the hospital, says his wife. Photo: Sue Kelk
During the following months he suffered greatly with delirium, confusion and agitation, which caused him to remove the tubes from his body and he went into cardiac arrest, he added.
Her condition has improved again in recent weeks, but she still needs a ventilator at night, Ms. Kelk said.
“At the moment, it is 12 to 14 hours without a fan during the day,” he said.
“You will probably always need some kind of ventilation at night. You will always need kidney dialysis because your kidneys are empty.
“(The doctors) think they will take him out of the unit and possibly come home at some point in the future … there is no time frame. It could be in three months, it could be in a year.
As his condition has improved in recent weeks, Mr. Kelk took his first steps in 10 months in the ICU and has been able to go out once a week since the beginning of January.
Mr. Kelk is now able to leave the hospital once a week with his wife. Photo: Sue Kelk
“Now I watch it every week, which is absolutely lovely. Jason loves it,” said Ms. Kelk.
“His personality has returned. He has had no delusion or confusion issues.
“He is always quite tired and can be quite sleepy.
“He’s full of smiles and laughs.”
Ms. Kelk said her husband has a hard time speaking due to his tracheostomy.
“Communication can be fun sometimes,” he said.
“My ability to read lips is not that good. But he communicates very well with the nurses and can write things down.”
