And you think you've got it bad
Private hire driver tells of 'terrifying' coronavirus nightmare and 'devastating' knock-on effects
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... g-19311135
Stephen Young developed a blood clot on his lung and is still suffering with pneumonia three and a half weeks after being diagnosed
Image: Gazette Live
Stephen Young was diagnosed with covid-19 on October 24.
A week later he was admitted to the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton, suffering with an excruciating and incessant cough.
After six days of care, the 57-year-old was discharged. But after making apparent progress he was then re-admitted this Tuesday and a subsequent chest X-ray revealed a blood clot on his lung.
Following treatment to disperse the clot, the private hire driver is recovering at his home in Norton taking anti-coagulants to prevent another from forming.
But he is still suffering with pneumonia, and Mr Young struggles to speak for even short periods without coughing uncontrollably.
So far he has lost weeks of wages and debts are mounting. And he has "no idea" when he will be able to return to work.
Mr Young decided to share his story in a bid to raise awareness of the dangers of the virus, and the ongoing knock-on effects it can bring.
"It has an absolutely devastating effect on you," he said.
"You can't taste or smell anything and the cough is incessant, you can't talk without coughing and you cough so much it hurts right in your back.
"I have never been as ill as that."
After his first discharge from hospital, Mr Young's blood oxygen levels were being monitored on a "virtual covid ward".
When they dropped to dangerous levels on Tuesday he was told he would have to return to hospital.
"It could have been very serious for me because I have already got double pneumonia," he said.
"They used a four-inch metal needle to disperse the clot.
"You get what they call 'sticky blood' because you're getting oxygen and the oxygen combined with the medication makes it sticky and that can cause the clot.
"This is one of the reasons people die after getting coronavirus.
"If the situation had unravelled where I had missed the call from the nurse it could have been very different."
Image: Gazette Live/Terry Blackburn
Married Mr Young is a self-employed private hire driver and says he has not been in the job long enough to qualify for government support.
And he worries, if lockdown continues further into December, he will struggle to make ends meet.
"I can't go back to work if I am still exhibiting signs of coronavirus," he said.
"But then if I want to get a retest or an antibody test, I have to pay.
"I am skint. My brother has assisted me but that can't go on forever. It's very difficult for someone in my situation to know how to proceed.
"I don't want to be a super spreader. I can't have 30 or 40 people in my car on a shift when I haven't had a retest.
"So I have had three and a half weeks off and we're hearing rumours of lockdown going even further.
"This will be catastrophic for private hire drivers."
Mr Young says the whole experience with coronavirus has been "terrifying and very stressful".
But he has nothing but praise for Dr Jacobs and the nursing staff on the ambulatory ward where he received his care.
He said: "They do 12-hour shifts running around like blue-a**ed flies, sweating in these suits.
"You have never seen someone in a moon suit work so hard in your life."
