Swindon patient, 75, home after 111 days in hospital

Safurat with her daughter Olajumoke and grandchildren Morewa and Samuel

A 75-year-old woman has finally returned home after spending 111 days in hospital with coronavirus.

Safurat Oyenike Ladoje was admitted to Great Western Hospital in Swindon on 2 April and was on a ventilator in intensive care for six weeks.

Ms Ladoje is the oldest patient to have recovered after being ventilated at the hospital, bosses said.

"I couldn't talk or get up. I couldn't see my daughter. I'm just thanking God that I'm still alive," she said.

Ms Ladoje spent seven weeks recovering on a ward after leaving intensive care, during which she celebrated her 75th birthday.

Her daughter Olajumoke, a midwife at the hospital, and was unable to work while her mother was being treated because of the psychological impact of worrying about her.

She said she felt like she had "won the lottery" on being told told last Wednesday that her mother could return home.

"At that moment when they told us, I just feel like the happiest person on earth. I feel like I've won a million pounds," she said.

Ms Ladoje spent six weeks in intensive care at Great Western Hospital

Olajumoke described the past weeks and months as the hardest time of her life.

"Not only for me, but for my family, children and my brothers and sisters," she said.

"For two months I couldn't go to work because I work in same hospital and going to work and thinking my mum is there; psychologically I couldn't face it."

She praised the work of all the teams at the hospital who treated and care for her mother.

"She seemed not to be responding to treatment but still the wonderful, amazing team never gave up on my mum's case," she said.

"A big thank you to you all."