A fish and chip shop owner who fought for his life against coronavirus has shared his candid hospital diary detailing how medics did their best to help him survive.
Panayiotis Elia, 66, didn’t show typical Covid-19 symptoms – initially he just had a headache, was constipated and felt lethargic and nauseous.
However, his condition rapidly worsened and, within ten days, he was in a critical condition at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.
Thankfully, the grandad pulled through and was able to go home to his family just over a week later.
Panayiotis Elia, 66, didn’t show typical Covid-19 symptoms – initially he just had a headache, was constipated and felt lethargic and nauseous. Pictured in Good Hope Hospital, Birmingham
Mr Elia, who runs Aquarius Fish Bar & Takeaway in Nechells, central Birmingham, said: ‘My family and I owe the doctors and nurses so much for their constant care and nursing but also the constant updates they would provide my family who telephoned regularly.
‘They were truly amazing – real heroes.’
Here is his diary of what happened:
Wednesday March 18
I started feeling unwell, feeling lethargic, nauseous, constipated and had a constant headache. At the behest of all my family, I closed the shop and went home to self-isolate with my wife. I had trouble breathing and had been constipated for a couple of days. Very quickly, I got worse, could not eat or drink (had lost my sense of taste), started to be very confused and had been sick too but would not take the step to go to hospital – call me a stubborn man? Guilty.
Mr Elia, who runs Aquarius Fish Bar & Takeaway in Nechells, central Birmingham, said he owed his life to the doctors and nurses who helped him survive
Sunday March 22
My daughter took over, called an ambulance and I ended up in Good Hope Hospital being tested and treated. A specialist came to look at my abdomen and chest and called for x-rays and CT scans. I was treated for nausea and constipation.
Whilst I was being wheeled around to various places, I noticed that it was eerily empty. No people were walking around the many corridors – only just a few staff. The x-rays and CT scans showed evidence of crackling in my chest. They took a swab for the coronavirus.
Tuesday March 24
It was confirmed that I did have Covid19 and pneumonia and the doctors were right to be concerned. I was sent to a ward that had four other people on but I became steadily worse and was put on oxygen, given fluids and antibiotics.
My nurse at the time was very concerned at my temperature spiking and the doctor ordered more paracetamol and IV antibiotics. The other three patients were sent home and I was on my own in the ward, constantly awake.
I think I did not sleep more than one hour a night with some none at all during my stay at the hospital. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining – I was being monitored by the amazing staff at Good Hope Hospital.
Friday March 27
In the early hours of the morning, I was visited by a consultant from the intensive care department / critical care team. I could tell before he opened his mouth that it was not going to be good news, his body language said it all.
‘He had to repeat his message twice before I got the gist. I was to be taken and put on a ventilator. My condition was getting worse and significant damage had been done to my one remaining kidney and they knew that I had a heart condition as well, none of it in my favour.
However, after a few hours, a different doctor came in with new equipment called High Flow Oxygen which I was hooked up to and I was sent to an isolation room. I felt the difference straight away and that gave me hope.
This rapid oxygen was entering straight into my lungs. Hope is a great thing, faith is another.
‘I am Greek Orthodox and our church services are very long but YouTube filled some of those hours in the hospital and the Byzantine chanting was very uplifting. The constant use of media to stay in contact with my family helped a lot.
A fish and chip shop owner has kept a candid hospital diary on how medics helped him survive coronavirus. Pictured battling the virus in hospital
Monday March 30
I was on the High Flow Oxygen for the next few days, then put on normal oxygen and slowly weaned off it day by day. The constant care was relentless.
Everyone who came into the room had to be fully kitted out and when leaving would rip off all the protection equipment, leave it in a special bin for this purpose, open the door and only then take their masks off.
As one can imagine, the less time nurses or other staff were exposed to me, the safer they were, but not once did I feel they wanted to rush and leave, in fact quite the contrary, they would stop and chat for a few minutes.
That meant a lot for I was basically on my own 24/7. I started to feel better and pressed the doctor and nursing staff to leave. I was told that I could only leave if I could prove that I could manage comfortably without oxygen.
‘At the behest of all my family, I closed the shop and went home to self-isolate with my wife’. Mr Elia pictured with his wife Eleni
Sunday April 5
After taking a few turns around the ward – by this time I was again placed in a room with four other men, one of them a doctor who had contracted Covid-19 whilst on duty – I was sent home on Sunday April 5.
I was told that my recovery would be long but I can look out of my bedroom window at the sky, I can walk out in my garden and sit and contemplate how lucky I was.
My family and I owe the doctors and nurses so much for their constant care and nursing but also the constant updates they would provide my family who telephoned regularly.
They were truly amazing – real heroes. May God bless them all.