Karen McCabe: Edinburgh NHS worker makes ‘remarkable’ coronavirus recovery

She says she hopes she will be discharged from hospital later today

Karen McCabe, an NHS worker from Edinburgh, says she has made a remarkable recovery from coronavirus.

The 44-year-old first noticed she had symptoms of the disease two weeks ago when she was self-isolating with her children, seven-year-old Anna, and four-year-old Joe.

‘I literally couldn’t breathe’

Karen McCabe hopes to leave hospital soon. Credit: BBC News.

In an interview with BBC Breakfast, she said: “My four-year-old son started to display some symptoms. He began to cough and have a high temperature.”

Days later Karen developed mild symptoms too - before her condition worsened.

“It was like someone literally flipped a switch in my body, and on the Friday evening... I literally couldn’t breathe.”

‘Tell the kids how much I love them’

After a hellish night of fever, vomiting, and aches, Karen called NHS 24 and was admitted to Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital.

But her condition continued to deteriorate, and last Monday doctors were forced to put Karen, who also suffers from diabetes, on a ventilator in ICU.

“Last Monday I sent a few text messages to my partner to tell the kids how much I loved them because I thought that was me,” she admitted.

Karen’s recovery

But now, days later - and despite suffering such severe symptoms - Karen is off the ventilator, and says she has finally recovered.

“My oxygen stats are back up and my BP (blood pressure) is back up.

“I’m hoping that the consultant will pack my bags and kick me out the door today,” she told interviewers.

And she is looking forward to seeing her children again.

“They’ve been delighted, their dad has been trying to keep them busy with homework and they’ve been drawing their rainbow pictures and sticking them in the window.

“It’s just a pity I can’t see my wider family. I’ve got parents I won’t be able to see.

“It’s been very difficult for them not being able to come near the hospital when I was at my lowest ebb.”

But Karen told the BBC she is taking nothing for granted.

“It’s been a remarkable journey and a remarkable recovery,” she said, “I’m very happy to be one of the lucky ones.”