West Bromwich Covid survivor speaks of 47-day nightmare in intensive care

Dad-of-two Jonathan Yague has revealed the true extent of his suffering as the fifth anniversary of pandemic looms – describing how nearly every vital organ in his body was failing and how he suffered severe internal bleeding after being ravaged by the Covid-19 virus.

He was rushed to Sandwell Hospital on 6 April 2020 – just yards from his home in West Bromwich - and was put into an induced coma so medics within the critical care unit could work on saving his life.

“I didn’t know what was going on as I’d been put to sleep,” said the 53-year-old, who was invited back to the critical care ward at the hospital where he was first treated ahead of the anniversary.  

“Afterwards I found out that my lungs had failed, followed by my kidneys and liver - and then my heart started to enlarge.”

“I was on a ventilator for seven days at Sandwell Hospital and then transferred to Leicester’s Glenfield Hospital where I was put on ECMO – a device used for life-threatening illnesses, buying time for the lungs to recover.”

Jonathan, a senior nursing manager, continued to deteriorate and each day, his distraught wife Maria, was given updates by medics, telling her to expect the worst.

Finally, in early May doctors decided that Jonathan was well enough to be unsupported by the ECMO device. This remarkable improvement meant that his lung were functioning with the help of the ventilator and was transferred back to Sandwell Hospital on 6 May.

“When I woke up I asked what the date was, and I was stunned to find out that nearly five weeks had passed by. It was like a nightmare,” he recalled.

“I was desperate to look out of the window as the hospital overlooks my home. I hoped I would see Maria and my family waving at me.”

“On the day that I was wheeled out of ITU, I remember all the staff lined up, clapping as I went past them.” 

Sandwell Hospital has since closed all wards and transferred inpatient care to the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, which is run by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.

As a result Jonathan was able to return to the now empty critical care ward. He added: “Returning to the spot where everything happened whilst I had COVID is very emotional. I’m very thankful to the staff for everything they did for me, my family, other patients and their relatives too. Staff worked extremely hard throughout the pandemic saving so many lives including mine. I am forever grateful for what they did for me.”