Birmingham father says staying positive helped him beat coronavirus

Anthony Morrison spent a week at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust where he was ventilated after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

The 55-year-old, from Birmingham, said: "Many people think that having coronavirus is a death sentence, but that isn’t the case.

"I was in a bad way, but I pulled through and people out there need to know, that just because you have the illness you are not going to pass away.

“I have a friend who has had it and she has also recovered.”

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Anthony, who works as a receipt and distributions supervisor, first experienced symptoms on his way home from work. He was feeling tired and distant – and his usual commute via public transport felt like it was taking longer than usual.

A couple of days later he began suffering headaches and had a high temperature. His wife called paramedics and initially, he was told to take paracetamol.

But his symptoms did not ease – and he collapsed. He was then taken to City Hospital, in Birmingham.

Mr Morrison said: "The paramedics rushed me to hospital and once I was there it was confirmed I had coronavirus.

“My oxygen levels were really low and I was in intensive care. But I kept thinking positively. I knew I had to fight this disease and I practised deep breathing techniques.

“I knew that I couldn’t let it beat me. It was difficult, but I knew I had to remain positive. I think that is really a key factor with this illness.

“Also hearing from my relatives really picked me up and when I received two handmade cards from my grandnieces that really picked me up. Their messages touched my heart. I knew I had to get out of hospital and see them again.

“There were also the small things too that I tried to do whilst I was in hospital. I would set myself goals, like walking to the bathroom. Every day I made sure I was able to do something that would help me in my recovery.

“The care I received was brilliant, right from the domestics to the doctors, everyone looked after me really well. “

Anthony has now returned home since his discharge and is resting until he is fit to return to work.

He added: “I really would say to people to stay positive. You can fight this disease and I am an example of this.”