Coronavirus survivor says thought of family kept her fighting

Dave Shell said he was "humbled" by the NHS care for his wife Angie

A coronavirus survivor says the desire to see her family again kept her fighting while in hospital.

Grandmother Angie Shell, 60, spent 13 days in the Royal United Hospital in Bath - including two in intensive care.

Mrs Shell said she was treated by "unbelievable" medical staff and wants other people to have hope they can beat the virus.

She said: "What those nurses and doctors go through is unbelievable, I don't know how they do it."

On 27 March Mrs Shell was rushed to hospital from her home in Trowbridge after telling husband Dave she could not breathe.

She had experienced a fever and a cough but was not too worried, and did not think she had been infected, she said.

Mrs Shell spent 13 days in the Royal United Hospital in Bath

"I didn't want to go in but the ambulance crew said it was for the best," Mrs Shell recalled.

"Even after being in hospital for a couple of days I thought I hadn't got it."

She was then moved to an intensive care unit.

Her husband Dave, 62, said: "On the Tuesday night I had a very frank call from a doctor saying she was very unwell and they were going to put her on a ventilator.

"I stopped watching the news at that point because the way the headlines were, I was convinced I was going to lose her."

Angie Shell's grandchildren made a mural to welcome her home

Mrs Shell, who began to recover and was then sent home on 9 April, is full of praise for the staff who cared for her.

"The ICU team were amazing," she said.

"They tell you their names but you can't recognise them through the masks which was a real shame because I would love to meet them and thank them."

Mr Shell said he was "humbled" by his wife's treatment, and want others with relatives in hospital to have hope.

"I know it doesn't end well for everybody but when you look at the statistics, most people do recover," he said.

Mrs Shell added: "When you look at the news and all the people who are dying it must be so sad for their partners and families.

"I've got all my family, my grandchildren. I didn't want to give up because I wanted to still be around for them."

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