Lower Mainland resident Cathy Gibbs wasn害羞草研究所檛 feeling well, but she didn害羞草研究所檛 think it was anything too serious.
She害羞草研究所檇 recently been to dinner at the house of a neighbour who was part of her 害羞草研究所渂ubble害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� a limited number of people she didn害羞草研究所檛 have to be socially distant with during the current coronavirus pandemic.
害羞草研究所淎ll of a sudden, after dinner, she [the neighbour] got unwell,害羞草研究所� Gibbs described.
Shortly after that, the neighbour phoned Gibbs.
害羞草研究所淪he said she had been exposed to COVID and now I had, too,害羞草研究所� Gibbs recalled.
害羞草研究所淲e were responsible and it still got us.害羞草研究所�
The Langley City woman decided to self-isolate at home.
She developed a persistent cough.
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害羞草研究所淚 just kept getting sicker and sicker,害羞草研究所� Gibbs recalled, but she didn害羞草研究所檛 think it was too serious.
But her daughter, Tammy, could hear the difference in her mother害羞草研究所檚 voice when they spoke on the phone.
Tammy, who lives in Edmonton, phoned the local ambulance service.
害羞草研究所淪omeone害羞草研究所檚 got to check on my mom,害羞草研究所� Tammy said.
When Tammy explained her mom wasn害羞草研究所檛 in Edmonton, but in B.C., the Alberta paramedics connected with their B.C. counterparts, and an ambulance team arrived at Gibb害羞草研究所檚 door to check her health.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 when I found out I have pneumonia [caused by COVID-19],害羞草研究所� Gibbs recalled.
害羞草研究所淚 just didn害羞草研究所檛 realize I was as sick as I was.害羞草研究所�
A nurse at hospital later told Gibbs she was lucky that her daughter called when she did.
After about a day and a half at Langley Memorial Hospital, Gibbs was transferred to Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH).
Gibbs recalls the paramedics applying defibrillator pads to her chest for the trip, in case she suffered a heart attack en route, and how they drove with sirens on the whole way.
害羞草研究所淭hey weren害羞草研究所檛 taking any chances, that害羞草研究所檚 for sure,害羞草研究所� Gibbs commented.
She is full of praise for the paramedics and medical staff at both hospitals.
害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 say enough.害羞草研究所�
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At 72, Gibbs was enjoying an active retirement after several years as Langley MLA Mary Polak害羞草研究所檚 constituency assistant, as well as Polak害羞草研究所檚 predecessor, Lynn Stephens.
On the one-year anniversary of her retirement, on Monday, Aug. 31, Gibbs was at SMH, hooked up to oxygen and a blood pressure monitor, and several other medical devices 害羞草研究所� unable to get out of bed without assistance.
To help her lungs recover, 害羞草研究所淚 have to lay on my stomach for two hours a day,害羞草研究所� she told the Langley Advance Times during a telephone interview from her ICU room at SMH. She害羞草研究所檚 one of the 10 in B.C. who top doc Dr. Bonnie Henry has listed in ICU with COVID this week.
Gibbs isn害羞草研究所檛 sure when she will be coming home.
害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 too early to say.害羞草研究所�
She said medical staff seemed happy with her progress to date.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 actually doing pretty well,害羞草研究所� Gibbs said. 害羞草研究所淚 can actually sit up in a chair. My energy is coming back and the COVID 害羞草研究所榝og害羞草研究所� has lifted.害羞草研究所�
Gibbs害羞草研究所� advice to people who doubt the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic; 害羞草研究所渋t is real害羞草研究所� and even in a small bubble, it is possible to be exposed.
She posted a message online to say she hopes young people are getting the message.
害羞草研究所淚 know that this virus has affected your life, it害羞草研究所檚 affected everyone,害羞草研究所� her Facebook posting read.
害羞草研究所淵ou can be grateful that you won害羞草研究所檛 get as sick as I did, if you get it. I know you are young and you want to live you life, I get that. I am old, but that doesn害羞草研究所檛 mean that I want to die, do YOU get that?害羞草研究所�
Since she posted to Facebook about her trip to the ICU, dozens of people have flooded her page with messages backing her fight to recover.
害羞草研究所淚 am so overwhelmed with the show of support I can害羞草研究所檛 even find the words,害羞草研究所� Gibbs posted.
害羞草研究所淭hank you hardly seems enough, but that害羞草研究所檚 what I have. Thank you and love you all.害羞草研究所�
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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