Wigan miracle man back home after 110 days in intensive care with Covid-19

David Curry, from Kitt Green, spent 10 weeks in a coma at Wigan Infirmary and was in hospital for a total of 120 days.
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He was finally clapped out of hospital amid emotional scenes on Monday evening.

The dad-of-three went into hospital at the start of October after displaying severe symptoms of the coronavirus but his condition quickly deteriorated.

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Despite being previously fit and active, cycling to and from his job at Poundland’s facility at Bryn, he was put into an induced coma and onto a ventilator.

David Curry with wife Bev, daughters Lydia and Maegan and Barbara WalshDavid Curry with wife Bev, daughters Lydia and Maegan and Barbara Walsh
David Curry with wife Bev, daughters Lydia and Maegan and Barbara Walsh

He spent 10 weeks in a coma before being brought back to consciousness by medical experts in January.

He was finally able to go home after 17 weeks and two days, just a couple of days before he turned 52.

He is now beginning the long process of returning to full fitness and health at his City Road home, something his family feared several times they would never see.

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David, who was born in Rhode Island in the USA, drew on his time in the armed forces when asked to sum up the ordeal he has been through.

David Curry leaving Wigan Infirmary after 120 days in hospitalDavid Curry leaving Wigan Infirmary after 120 days in hospital
David Curry leaving Wigan Infirmary after 120 days in hospital

He said: “If you get this you have to fight for every breath until you get better. I’m ex-military so I got my fight on.

“That’s the only way to get through this. You’ve got to be prepared to fight. The minute you give up you’re gone. That’s how evil this thing is.

“The ICU staff will tell you I’m a miracle. I don’t know how I did it. The doctor told me my lungs were like concrete.”

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At one point doctors were wondering if they had exhausted all the options to treat David but after a meeting it was decided to try one last option.

David Curry spent 10 weeks in a coma at Wigan InfirmaryDavid Curry spent 10 weeks in a coma at Wigan Infirmary
David Curry spent 10 weeks in a coma at Wigan Infirmary

David said: “They thought I wasn’t going to make it but my wife convinced them not to pull the plug.”

David was in a coma for so long that he missed several family birthdays, celebrations including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year and the election of the new US president Joe Biden.

His marathon stint in hospital was all the harder for wife Bev and his children Jordan, Maegan and Lydia because they were unable to visit as relatives normally would due to Covid-19 and were reliant on Bev’s daily phone calls for information and updates and brief meetings with medical staff in full PPE.

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Bev, 51, said: “It has been a living nightmare for four months. Having him home is a big sigh of relief but then it’s on to the next stage of recovery.

“We just took it one day at a time, sometimes 12 hours at a time.

“He was so poorly that to see him bounce back like this is amazing. He was sat at the table eating for the first time since September and that normality is fantastic.

“When he was very ill we didn’t think he would be coming home. At one point we were planning his funeral.”

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David lost three stone during his time in hospital and now has to build up his strength to be able to walk again.

Both Bev and his daughter Lydia praised the NHS for their care of David.

Lydia, 20, said: “They gave my dad a chance. They tried absolutely everything and the last thing they tried luckily got him better.

“When we took him home they were all so happy he was coming home and they were crying. It had personally affected them and that compassion is what you want to see. All their hard work paid off.”

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Bev said: “You see how busy they are but they take the time. They all came down to clap him out. I can’t fault Wigan Infirmary at all.”

The family has also supported each other, with Lydia praising her mum’s hard work while Bev spoke of her pride at how her three adult children have helped.

Bev also recommended anyone else who has a relative who has been seriously ill with Covid joins a support group online in which those in the same situation can share their experiences.

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