Lower Mainland resident Cathy Gibbs wasn香蕉视频直播檛 feeling well, but she didn香蕉视频直播檛 think it was anything too serious.
She香蕉视频直播檇 recently been to dinner at the house of a neighbour who was part of her 香蕉视频直播渂ubble香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� a limited number of people she didn香蕉视频直播檛 have to be socially distant with during the current coronavirus pandemic.
香蕉视频直播淎ll of a sudden, after dinner, she [the neighbour] got unwell,香蕉视频直播� Gibbs described.
Shortly after that, the neighbour phoned Gibbs.
香蕉视频直播淪he said she had been exposed to COVID and now I had, too,香蕉视频直播� Gibbs recalled.
香蕉视频直播淲e were responsible and it still got us.香蕉视频直播�
The Langley City woman decided to self-isolate at home.
She developed a persistent cough.
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香蕉视频直播淚 just kept getting sicker and sicker,香蕉视频直播� Gibbs recalled, but she didn香蕉视频直播檛 think it was too serious.
But her daughter, Tammy, could hear the difference in her mother香蕉视频直播檚 voice when they spoke on the phone.
Tammy, who lives in Edmonton, phoned the local ambulance service.
香蕉视频直播淪omeone香蕉视频直播檚 got to check on my mom,香蕉视频直播� Tammy said.
When Tammy explained her mom wasn香蕉视频直播檛 in Edmonton, but in B.C., the Alberta paramedics connected with their B.C. counterparts, and an ambulance team arrived at Gibb香蕉视频直播檚 door to check her health.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 when I found out I have pneumonia [caused by COVID-19],香蕉视频直播� Gibbs recalled.
香蕉视频直播淚 just didn香蕉视频直播檛 realize I was as sick as I was.香蕉视频直播�
A nurse at hospital later told Gibbs she was lucky that her daughter called when she did.
After about a day and a half at Langley Memorial Hospital, Gibbs was transferred to Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH).
Gibbs recalls the paramedics applying defibrillator pads to her chest for the trip, in case she suffered a heart attack en route, and how they drove with sirens on the whole way.
香蕉视频直播淭hey weren香蕉视频直播檛 taking any chances, that香蕉视频直播檚 for sure,香蕉视频直播� Gibbs commented.
She is full of praise for the paramedics and medical staff at both hospitals.
香蕉视频直播淚 can香蕉视频直播檛 say enough.香蕉视频直播�
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At 72, Gibbs was enjoying an active retirement after several years as Langley MLA Mary Polak香蕉视频直播檚 constituency assistant, as well as Polak香蕉视频直播檚 predecessor, Lynn Stephens.
On the one-year anniversary of her retirement, on Monday, Aug. 31, Gibbs was at SMH, hooked up to oxygen and a blood pressure monitor, and several other medical devices 香蕉视频直播� unable to get out of bed without assistance.
To help her lungs recover, 香蕉视频直播淚 have to lay on my stomach for two hours a day,香蕉视频直播� she told the Langley Advance Times during a telephone interview from her ICU room at SMH. She香蕉视频直播檚 one of the 10 in B.C. who top doc Dr. Bonnie Henry has listed in ICU with COVID this week.
Gibbs isn香蕉视频直播檛 sure when she will be coming home.
香蕉视频直播淚 think it香蕉视频直播檚 too early to say.香蕉视频直播�
She said medical staff seemed happy with her progress to date.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 actually doing pretty well,香蕉视频直播� Gibbs said. 香蕉视频直播淚 can actually sit up in a chair. My energy is coming back and the COVID 香蕉视频直播榝og香蕉视频直播� has lifted.香蕉视频直播�
Gibbs香蕉视频直播� advice to people who doubt the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic; 香蕉视频直播渋t is real香蕉视频直播� and even in a small bubble, it is possible to be exposed.
She posted a message online to say she hopes young people are getting the message.
香蕉视频直播淚 know that this virus has affected your life, it香蕉视频直播檚 affected everyone,香蕉视频直播� her Facebook posting read.
香蕉视频直播淵ou can be grateful that you won香蕉视频直播檛 get as sick as I did, if you get it. I know you are young and you want to live you life, I get that. I am old, but that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mean that I want to die, do YOU get that?香蕉视频直播�
Since she posted to Facebook about her trip to the ICU, dozens of people have flooded her page with messages backing her fight to recover.
香蕉视频直播淚 am so overwhelmed with the show of support I can香蕉视频直播檛 even find the words,香蕉视频直播� Gibbs posted.
香蕉视频直播淭hank you hardly seems enough, but that香蕉视频直播檚 what I have. Thank you and love you all.香蕉视频直播�
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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