An elderly UK couple were recently discharged from the hospital on the same day together after they both spent three weeks battling the deadly novel coronavirus.
According to the BBC , Michael England, 91, and his 88-year-old wife Gillian have been married for 61 years and made sure they stuck by each other’s side while undergoing treatment for the virus.
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The pair were both patients at Leicester Royal Infirmary but unfortunately couldn’t stay in the same room together.
But that didn’t stop these two from seeing each other.
According to a Facebook post from the official Leicester’s Hospitals page, Michael would wake up every morning and get dressed so he could complete his daily exercises — that is, walk straight to his wife’s bedside.
And every morning for three weeks, Gillian would eagerly await her husband’s arrival so the pair could enjoy their cup of tea together.
Nurses at the hospital would also allow the couple to eat all their meals together, so the only time Michael and Gillian were ever really apart on their “heartwarming journey” was while they were sleeping.
Of course, the couple’s road to recovery certainly wasn’t a smooth one, and their children had feared the worst when both their parents tested positive for COVID-19.
Russell, one of their three sons, told the BBC their dad had an especially “rough old time with the virus”. In fact, at one point Michael had been given just 48 hours to live, and he’d had to call each of his sons to say good-bye.
Russell said his father’s recovery is “remarkable.”
Although the couple have spent three weeks isolated inside the hospital, Michael insists it hasn’t been too lonely at all.
“While I’ve been in hospital I’ve not really missed anything because Gillian is here and I have been able to see her every day,” he said, as per the Facebook post .
On July 17, both spouses were given the green light to leave the hospital after being cleared of the coronavirus.
“I can’t describe the kindness of the nursing staff who made our stay in hospital so comfortable and worked hard to make sure we were looked after on the same ward,” Michael said. “They have shown such compassion in so many ways. Kindness goes such a long way.”
While leaving the facility together, he shared that they were looking forward to seeing their sons and their families again, and added, “Being discharged together, on the same day is even more special as we have been on our recovery journey together.”
