Challenging times for staff and patients at Forth Valley Royal Hospital

Thankfully for Robin Binnie he did avoid the worst outcome and has now returned to his Braes home to recuperate.

But he admits that immediately after being admitted to Ward B12 there were “rough days” and he didn’t know if he would recover.

His experience has made him extremely grateful for all the NHS is doing to make people aware of how self isolation is so important and for the care they provide for people like him who get coronavirus.

Robin (63), a statistician with the UK government, explained how his symptoms developed: “For about a week I had a fever and then I noticed that I was getting a wee bit short of breath.

“It got to the stage that I couldn’t look after myself so I phoned the hospital and told them all this.

“When I came in the first two days were quite rough and I wasn’t certain if I would live.

“I got a lot of tests done over time and then I was told they were confident that I had Covid-19.

“They gave me some oxygen to help me breath but it’s not very pleasant as it dries up your nasal passages.”

Robin, of Maddiston, was already being treated for leukaemia, but said thanks to the support of everyone at the Larbert hospital and the care he received on the ward, he is looking forward to making a full recovery from Covid-19.

“The nurses and auxiliaries, in fact all the staff, are really on the ball.

“Yes, I’ll admit when I came in I thought that I had completed my last climb. You have doubts but you hope for the best and pray to avoid the worst.”

When The Falkirk Herald visited FVRH on Tuesday there were 18 patients on Ward B12 with or suspected to have coronavirus and another 12 on A31.

Between these two wards they reckon to have had about 200 of the 717 people in Forth Valley who have tested positive for Covid-19 to date.

Senior charge nurse Donna Read who oversees B12 said around two-thirds of these patients were discharged safely to their homes.

While others may have gone to community hospitals for further recuperation, sadly some were amongst the 124 deaths from coronavirus that have been recorded in Forth Valley.

Donna said there had been tough times for all the staff, adding: “It was very stressful as people had to adapt to protocols that were changing quickly.

“We were expecting high numbers as seen in China and London but this unit has had about 100 patients with two-thirds of those discharged safely. Forth Valley has been very successful in managing Covid-19.”

She admits one of the most difficult tasks during the last five weeks since health chiefs suspended ward visiting is dealing with relatives, many of them very concerned about the welfare of their loved ones.

“People were dying and one of the most challenging parts was around communication. We were having difficult conversations with relatives, which normally take place face-to-face, over the phone.

“I found that quite challenging and quite upsetting at the time.

“Next of kin are allowed to come in to spend the last few hours with someone but even then they have to pick one person to come which isn’t easy.”

On a more positive note Donna and all her staff on the ward had postcards made up to pass on phone messages to patients from their relatives and friends. She admitted that brought a welcome boost.

There have also been donations of iPads to allow patients to Facetime their loved ones.

Rosario Walshe from Denny is the senior charge nurse for the hospital’s other Covid-19 ward A31.

After 30 years in nursing she admits that she never imagined to find herself in the current situation of looking after patients in a pandemic.

She said: “It is a very extraordinary time and personally I am proud to be classed as a frontline worker.”

However, she is thankful that FVRH has not had to deal with more patients.

She said: “The important message for people to social distance has made a difference. Now it is just as important all the good work doesn’t become undone.

“It’s really important that people help us by keeping social distancing going and remember that people have lost their lives.”