Northampton councillor reveals he came close to death from Covid-19 - and hopes his experience will warn others

A Northampton councillor is urging residents to respect Covid-19 restrictions and see the pandemic through to the end - after revealing the disease almost took his life.

In this special report, Councillor Dennis Meredith [Talavera Ward, Lib Dems] has shared how he thought his time was up after being hospitalized with Covid-pneumonia - and why he says that precautions against the virus need to go on right until the end.

The news came in September. After several days of feeling unwell and lethargic, Dennis was advised to get tested at the former centre on Northampton market square. It came back positive.

He was in hospital two days later.

"I woke up one morning unable to breath properly," said Dennis. "When the ambulance arrived they told me I had a massive chest infection.

"The consultant in A&E later told me the name for it was 'Covid pneumonia'. I've learned that a lot of the deaths from Covid isn't always the disease but the pneumonia it causes.

"And for me, there were warning signs things weren't going too well."

Dennis was transferred to intensive treatment. He was away from his wife and family, and every hour fighting what he only understood to be a massive chest infection - all caused by a pandemic gripping the world.

It was, he says, terrifying. And he would see something during his stay that shook him.

"As I was there, there was a man in another bed who was 44 years old who had two children," said Dennis.

"I didn't get to know him. But he was obviously dying. There was not a lot more anyone could do for him.

"Then at some point they pulled the curtains around him. I heard the bleeping get slower and slower until it stopped."

Dennis rubs his face. "It really upset me. None of his family could be there to cry for him, I just started crying for him.

"I've asked myself since, 'why at my age was I surviving while a man who was in his 40s with two children had to die?"

A harsh reality of recovering from hospitalization is that it is not always a straight-up path back to health. There are setbacks and remissions. And for Dennis, even when he was discharged that week after appearing stable, he woke up two days later again unable to breath properly.

He was admitted to intensive care again. And then when he was discharged once more after appearing stable, an ambulance had to come out to him for a third time.

Dennis said: "The consultant had to tell me that the infection was in my lung, and none of the antibiotics they were giving me were working anymore.

"All they had left to try, they said, were the strongest ones they had available.

"I asked the consultant if I was going to die. He looked at me and said 'not if I can help it'."

By this time, Dennis was in a cubicle on the Quinton Ward set up for coronavirus patients. He says he was now getting to know the staff.

"This one very kind nurse said to me 'you're really not very well are you'. I really wasn't. It was the worst I had ever felt. I was sweating profusely and was just so weak.

"It got to the point I asked for the hospital chaplain to come see me. I thought my time was up. I remember thinking over my life, I felt I could see things so clearly.

"They put me on an antibiotics drip, turned off the lights and let me go to sleep in the cubicle.

Two days later, Dennis was being led out the hospital in a wheelchair while the ward staff applauded.

"As they took me to the entrance the staff lined the corridor and clapped for me. But it was them that pulled me through it.

"I have nothing but praise for the staff; the ambulance drivers, the consultants, the health care assistants, the porters, everyone. I wouldn't be here today without them."

It's now been five months since Dennis was discharged. He says he has been diagnosed with long-Covid. He has lost some lung capacity and struggles with keeping up with his old hobbies. He also lost two stone during his hospital trips.

He is sharing his story, he says, as a message.

"If anyone thinks Covid doesn't exist or isn't serious or we shouldn't taking precautions - please, listen to what I have to say. I'm making this statement to help people understand how I suffered.

"I've never felt so bad in my whole life. It was the worst experience I've had in all my life.

"I'm putting this experience behind me. I just thank God how lucky I've been."