JUST two weeks ago, Jane Woollcott was in intensive care fighting for her life after becoming seriously ill with COVID-19.

Today, the 62-year-old from Essex, who works in the switchboard team at The Princess Alexandra Hospital, is back home and looking forward to her birthday next week after being discharged from Royal Papworth Hospital.

“I really didn’t think I would make it,” said Jane, who was admitted to her local hospital with breathing difficulties before being transferred to Royal Papworth Hospital’s intensive care unit.

“It was very frightening. I prayed I was going to pull through but I did think I was going to die. I have a lovely family and I really didn’t want to leave them.”

Jane was given oxygen to help her breathing and was given a range of drugs to try and tackle the virus. As her condition improved, she was moved from the hospital’s critical care unit to a respiratory ward when she no longer needed intensive care.

“Every day I felt stronger. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to have visitors while I was in hospital but I kept in touch with my family via Whatsapp and watched cookery programmes on the TV in my room.”

“All the hospital staff have been amazing,” said Jane. “Everyone has kept me going, cheering me up by telling me about their families at home. I can’t put into words what they’ve done for me. I really can’t praise them enough.”

Having recovered from COVID-19, Jane is looking forward to doing everyday things like sitting in her garden, having a cup of tea and seeing her family. “I came so close to dying. Nothing else is important now. I’m just ecstatic to be able to go home. I’m a very lucky girl.”