After two weeks in coma, mom of twins in Canada beats COVID-19

Recovering from COVID-19 was an uphill battle from one mom in Canada. INQUIRER.net stock photo

A woman in Canada won a hard fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which saw her in a medically-induced coma for two weeks.

Julie Lingan, 39, was finally discharged from Ontario’s Southlake Regional Health Centre in April 16, a month after she was first admitted.

She drew applause from hospital staff as she made her exit to meet her husband and 4-year-old twins, the hospital said in Facebook on April 17.

https://www.facebook.com/SouthlakeRegionalHealthCentre/posts/2957462330985873?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDFas9fBi6rM82rm0rzMAzxyc7ciCEh2GyDDG2gL2mqO35nBbZPsCvEg8tmLuFa-VhVRNEj5JZiHcyXGBaNjD6amm_53tS30ovDLQ7OFGxDfLTCAwrDsnu0P7-Z9_0GCPo5VqKZva4r32KXLUJAwud-i5eomVjT80XouFk_v6AMOHZu8e96XKiBgtVso8kWdmHW_E08TZnvccTRIW_b-C8v3w6p8-vPxeUQos221PlsQ6ABrnkE7QmRdDMUi12oOgGFHM181rFsXlwPJ0N3w2c2WIdYu1eLbMDIFGwkAxsR2aOPS5-d2ibpjWQdBUz5UlTReLHGL0WFNy5AU1xXoXh6sA&__tn__=-R

The uphill battle for Lingan began in March. Her husband was diagnosed with pneumonia and soon she developed symptoms, CBC reported yesterday, April 22.

The stay-at-home mom had a dry cough and a 40-degree fever, which she informed public health about. Though she was advised by a nurse on the phone to get medical attention, she delayed it because she needed help with the kids, especially since her son has autism.

She underwent a coronavirus test on March 17, and in the days that followed, it became harder for her to breathe. When she got to the hospital, she could not speak anymore due to the lack of oxygen, as per CTV News on April 16.

Intensive care staff opted to put her on a ventilator and in a medically-induced coma by March 19. She got the chance to have a video chat with her husband and kids prior to being put to sleep, nurse Lindsey McNabb told CTV News.

When Lingan was removed from the ventilator on April 2, she was in severe delirium and had hallucinations, reported CBC. She eventually recovered enough to leave the hospital and has tested negative for the virus.

There are still struggles following the disease, such as exhaustion and having to use a cane to get around. But she is at least reunited with her family.

”I’m really thankful that I have this second chance to be with my family,” she said. “I’ll enjoy every moment of it.” Niña V. Guno/JB

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