Sedated and on a ventilator, Nokuthula Gumede fought for
her life in the Netcare Kingsway Hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) for three
weeks, during which time her baby boy had to be delivered by caesarean section
on July 17.
She had no memory of her time under sedation, nor of the
birth of her baby. Her first words when she came around from sedation were,
“Where is my baby?”
The Amanzimtoti mother was discharged from hospital with
her baby on August 21.
She was 36 weeks pregnant when she developed severe
Covid-19 complications requiring weeks in intensive care.
“Ms Gumede was in a serious condition and developed several
complications, including a deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot, in her right
leg, during her weeks in ICU, so she made a truly remarkable recovery which the
staff at the hospital are all celebrating,” said Netcare Kingsway Hospital
general manager Anna Demetriou.
“In fact her partner, who says that he would sometimes sit
in his car outside the hospital and send her thoughts of strength and courage,
considers her survival nothing short of a miracle.”
Demetriou said when Gumede was taken off ventilation, she
was so overwhelmed with everything that had happened, that she was extremely
emotional and crying uncontrollably.
“I think that thoughts of her little baby boy motivated her
to recover, and it was indeed special to witness her meeting her precious baby
in hospital for the first time after almost a month.”
Gumede went to the hospital on July 13 and was immediately
admitted for a suspected Covid-19 infection. A diagnosis was confirmed the
following day.
Pulmonologist Dr Sabeer Abdool Gaffar said she had been
coughing and suffering from shortness of breath.
“X-rays revealed Covid-19-related pneumonia in both lungs
and she was admitted to the hospital’s ICU and placed on a ventilator to
support her breathing,” Netcare said on Tuesday. “According to Dr Gaffar, Ms
Gumede’s condition deteriorated rapidly over the next couple of days. Dr
Gaffar, gynaecologist Dr Nitasha Magan and nephrologist Dr Priyesh Mody
consulted and together concluded that the baby would have to be delivered
immediately via caesarean section to save the mother’s life.”
Demetriou said the baby, who was delivered four weeks
early, thrived in the neonatal ICU.
“Ms Gumede’s eldest daughter, Anele Samkelisiwe, committed
to keeping her little brother well and took him under her wing while her mother
was ill. She spent many hours with him in hospital, bonding and getting to know
his intricate habits. Confident that her mother would beat the virus, she
showed the most wonderful and inspiring commitment to her mother and her little
brother,” she said. Sowetan
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