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Matthew, who suffers with mild asthma, began to feel unwell whilst at home with his family. He knew something wasn’t right, and began to feel worse and worse.
Matthew Foote, 48, a trained Chef turned Sales Director of a national catering wholesaler, is back at home with his family in Beechdale, after receiving 5 weeks of round the clock care at Nottingham University Hospitals.
Matthew, who suffers with mild asthma, began to feel unwell whilst at home with his family. He knew something wasn’t right, and began to feel worse and worse.
He was admitted to the Queen’s Medical Centre, and spent just over three and a half weeks in intensive care. He then spent just over a week recovering on the step down unit; one of the specially designed wards at the hospital, providing a wide range of support including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and help from dieticians.
Laura Mills, Senior Respiratory Physiotherapist Nottingham University Hospitals, says:
“Matthew’s progression with his intensive rehabilitation was excellent. He went from requiring full assistance with all activities including washing, dressing and needing a hoist to transfer out of bed, to being independently mobile and independent with showering, getting dressed and making himself hot drinks.
Speaking of his time in intensive care, Matthew describes:
“Waking up feeling completely delirious, I was experiencing such vivid dreams that I believed them to be true – those dreams will never ever leave me”.
“I cannot express the gratitude I have for all of the staff involved in my care. I was made to feel at ease at what was a very scary time, for me and for my family. The nurses talked to me, listened to me and nothing was too big of an ask. My wife was able to call and speak to me at any time of the day or night.
“The Letters to Loved Ones initiative by Nottingham University Hospitals was a fantastic help to me at a time when I felt so worried and alone. It meant that my family were able to write to me whilst I was recovering, which was a great comfort to them too. That little bit of contact and normality goes a long way.
“I was applauded as I was discharged, a poignant and memorable moment for me, but the applause shouldn’t be for me - it should be for the hospital”.
Speaking of his discharge, John Ridgway, Advanced Practitioner Occupational Therapist at Nottingham University Hospitals says:
“Matthew was discharged home just nine days after leaving intensive care, which is a great achievement. He was an incredibly motivated patient, determined to return to his wife and four children, which helped with his recovery.
We wish him well in his ongoing recovery and check in with him regularly”.