'Best present I could wish for': Covid patient discharged after four months in hospital
A Covid-19 patient who has spent four months in hospital has received the best present of all, spending Christmas at home.
Vic Sharrard, 69, went into Walsall Manor Hospital in August, and was in a coma for more than six weeks.
The grandfather of two from Hednesford admits he couldn’t have wished for anything better after being poorly for so long.
An emotional Vic, who used to be a goalkeeper for Willenhall Town, Stourbridge and Chasetown after starting and finishing his career at Hednesford Town, said: "It really is the best Christmas present I could wish for.
"I’m looking forward to seeing my family and neighbours. It will be wonderful to catch up with them again."
Vic and his wife Pat will spent Christmas Day with son Liam and his wife-to-be Aimee.
Pat said: "The care he has had, especially on ICU, has been absolutely exceptional.
"As a family, we could not have got through this without their professionalism, it’s been absolutely superb."
The retired lorry driver, a father-of-two, was admitted on August 26 with a chest infection which developed into pneumonia before he contracted the virus.
Vic, who has underlying health conditions, was then transferred to intensive care.
He has also been on a ventilator and had a tracheostomy and believes if he hadn’t been double vaccinated he would have died.
After waking from a coma, Vic finally started to improve.
Vic recently had a visit from their son’s French bulldog, Ralph, who he and Pat take for walks three times a week.
After so long in a hospital bed, the 69-year-old had to undergo physiotherapy to learn to use his arms and legs again and is indebted to the care he has received.
Vic added: "I think I ‘died’ once or twice and up to three weeks ago I was still flat in bed and couldn’t raise my arms.
"Thankfully after a week I could raise my arms right up.
"Everyone has been great to me, I can’t thank them enough, especially ‘Pink Hair’ (Senior Sister Critical Care Rehabilitation Xana Marriott) and the two ladies who gave me a kiss when I was still on ICU.
"Everyone has all tried their hardest to keep me alive and look after me the best they can.”
He added, holding his hands about four feet apart, “If I had to thank everyone, I would have a list this long.”
