Healthy Llanelli man’s experience with COVID Pneumonia | Profiad dyn iach o Lanelli o Niwmonia COVID

Fit and healthy Richard Jones, 39, from Llanelli credits his fiancée Vicky Williams with saving his life when he became very unwell with COVID-19.

After spending the day working in the garden, Richard developed a temperature. Thinking it to be sunstroke, he brushed it off. However, over the following week his symptoms began to intensify.

Richard, who works as a Superyacht Electrical Technical Officer, recounts “During the evenings, I would feel very cold, sweating profusely, despite being extremely warm to touch. I’d had a tickly cough the previous week but nothing extreme to cause any concern and had felt well until the day I’d been painting in the back.

“Within a few days, my cough became more severe quickly and I would have really bad coughing fits throughout the day and night. We were aware a cough and temperature were typical symptoms of COVID-19 so did consider this may be the cause. I had only been food shopping locally for the family and aside from that had been self-isolating anyway so we continued to do so hoping my condition would naturally improve by itself.

“However, within a few days it quickly got much worse and I began coughing up phlegm and blood. My fiancée Vicky was very concerned but I genuinely thought I was okay and had picked up a normal virus. I had lost a lot of weight due to lack of appetite and also my complexion became very pale. At one point Vicky also noted my lips had a blue outline – which we now know is a sign of lack of oxygen.”

After Vicky witnessed Richard coughing up blood, she immediately rang 111, who advised him to go to Prince Philip Hospital’s red zone straight away. Richard says, “I really feel her actions helped saved my life by raising the alarm with the medical team.”

“On arrival at the hospital, my blood pressure and heart rate were both concerningly high which is indicative of an infection. My oxygen level had also dropped to 89, I believe anything under 93 is considered a concern and my x ray was later described as like “looking at shattered glass.

“I had a mouth swab to test for COVID-19 and was advised at this point it’s likely this is what I had. I had also been experiencing extreme pain in my right side,” Richard said, “following all test results it was concluded I had secondary severe pneumonia as a result of COVID-19. It was very serious and at one point it was considered putting me in ICU to assist with my breathing.”

Richard stayed in hospital for 11 days in total. He was treated with antibiotics and steroids through an IV drip and received oxygen for seven days. He also had physiotherapy support to help with the coughing pains. Now home for over four weeks, he says his strength and mobility has improved greatly, but his chest only feels 50% back to normal.

Richard attributes the support from his fiancée Vicky and family, as well as the team at Prince Philip Hospital with helping him get through his experience with COVID pneumonia.

“All the staff that I met in PPH were excellent especially Professor Keir Lewis and his fellow doctors. Also a huge thanks to the ward sisters Laura and Amber and all the staff who worked with them during my stay including the healthcare assistants and kitchen staff.

“Even though they were head to toe in full PPE each time I met them, I remembered their voices and how supporting and encouraging they were each time I met them. They made a very difficult time more manageable by being normal at a time for me that was abnormal.”

Fiancée Vicky said, “It was really tough not being able to visit Richard as he had been so unwell and I just wanted to give him a cwtch and tell him everything would be okay. We utilised technology as much as possible to see each other virtually and were so happy when he was finally able to come home. We as a family are extremely grateful to all the staff at PPH for the help they provided during Richard’s time in hospital and the support he has received since, from the bottom of our hearts thank you.”

Summing up his experience, Richard says, “Please don’t be afraid to get your symptoms checked at the earliest opportunity. I had left mine too late,” and “to continue to follow Government advice re COVID, stay home and stay safe. All I had done was essential food shopping. COVID does not discriminate against anyone. I was young, fit and healthy and could have died had it not been for my fiancée not accepting when I told her I was “okay” and also the amazing skills of the medical team at Prince Philip Hospital.”

Profiad dyn iach o Lanelli o Niwmonia COVID

Mae Richard Jones, dyn ffit ac iach o Llanelli yn diolch i’w ddyweddi Vicky Williams am achub ei fywyd pan aeth yn sâl iawn gyda COVID-19.

Ar ôl treulio’r diwrnod yn gweithio yn yr ardd, datblygodd Richard dymheredd. Gan feddwl ei fod oherwydd yr haul, fe wnaeth ei anwybyddu. Fodd bynnag, dros yr wythnos ganlynol dechreuodd ei symptomau ddwysau.

Dywed Richard, sy’n gweithio fel Swyddog Technegol Trydanol Superyacht, “Yn ystod y nosweithiau, byddwn yn teimlo’n oer iawn, yn chwysu’n arw, er fy mod yn hynod gynnes i gyffwrdd. Cefais beswch yr wythnos flaenorol ond dim byd eithafol i beri unrhyw bryder ac roeddwn wedi teimlo’n dda tan y diwrnod yr oeddwn wedi bod yn paentio yn y cefn.

“O fewn ychydig ddyddiau, daeth fy mheswch yn fwy difrifol yn gyflym a byddwn yn cael ffitiau pesychu gwael iawn trwy gydol y dydd a’r nos. Roeddem yn ymwybodol bod peswch a thymheredd yn symptomau nodweddiadol o COVID-19 felly roeddem o’r farn mai dyma fyddai’r achos. Dim ond yn lleol yr oeddwn i wedi bod yn siopa bwyd ac ar wahân i hynny roeddwn wedi bod yn hunan-ynysu beth bynnag felly fe wnaethom barhau i wneud hynny gan obeithio y byddai fy nghyflwr yn gwella ar ei ben ei hun yn naturiol.

“Fodd bynnag, ymhen ychydig ddyddiau gwaethygodd yn gyflym a dechreuais besychu fflem a gwaed. Roedd fy nyweddi Vicky yn bryderus iawn ond roeddwn i wir yn meddwl fy mod i’n iawn ac wedi codi firws arferol. Roeddwn i wedi colli llawer o bwysau oherwydd diffyg chwant bwyd a hefyd roedd fy ngwedd yn welw iawn. Ar un adeg, nododd Vicky hefyd fod gan fy ngwefus amlinelliad glas – yr ydym bellach yn gwybod ei fod yn arwydd o ddiffyg ocsigen.”

Ar ôl i Vicky fod yn dyst i Richard yn pesychu gwaed, fe ffoniodd 111 ar unwaith, a’i cynghorodd i fynd i barth coch Ysbyty Tywysog Philip ar unwaith. Meddai Richard, “Rwy’n teimlo bod ei gweithredoedd wedi helpu i achub fy mywyd trwy godi’r larwm gyda’r tîm meddygol.”

“Ar ôl cyrraedd yr ysbyty, roedd fy mhwysedd gwaed a chyfradd y galon yn bryderus o uchel sy’n arwydd o haint. Roedd fy lefel ocsigen hefyd wedi gostwng i 89, rwy’n credu bod unrhyw beth o dan 93 yn cael ei ystyried yn bryder a disgrifiwyd fy mhelydr-x yn ddiweddarach fel “edrych ar wydr wedi’i chwalu.

“Cefais swab ceg i brofi am COVID-19 a chefais fy nghynghori ar y pwynt hwn ei bod yn debygol mai dyma a gefais. Roeddwn hefyd wedi bod yn profi poen eithafol yn fy ochr dde,” meddai Richard, “yn dilyn yr holl ganlyniadau profion daethpwyd i’r casgliad bod gen i niwmonia difrifol eilaidd o ganlyniad i COVID-19. Roedd yn ddifrifol iawn ac ar un adeg ystyriwyd fy rhoi yn yr Uned Gofal Dwys i gynorthwyo gyda fy anadlu.”

Arhosodd Richard yn yr ysbyty am gyfanswm o 11 diwrnod. Cafodd ei drin â gwrthfiotigau a steroidau trwy ddrip IV a derbyniodd ocsigen am saith diwrnod. Cafodd gefnogaeth ffisiotherapi hefyd i helpu gyda’r poenau pesychu. Bellach adref ers dros bedair wythnos, dywed fod ei gryfder a’i symudedd wedi gwella’n fawr, ond dim ond 50% yn ôl i’w normal y mae ei frest yn teimlo.

Mae Richard yn gwerthfawrogi cefnogaeth ei ddyweddi Vicky a’i deulu, yn ogystal â’r tîm yn Ysbyty Tywysog Philip gyda’u cymorth i ddod dros ei brofiad gyda niwmonia COVID.

“Roedd yr holl staff y gwnes i eu cyfarfod yn PPH yn rhagorol yn enwedig yr Athro Keir Lewis a’i gyd-feddygon. Hefyd diolch enfawr i’r Prif Nyrsys Ward Laura ac Amber a’r holl staff a weithiodd gyda nhw yn ystod fy arhosiad gan gynnwys y cynorthwywyr gofal iechyd a staff y gegin.

“Er eu bod nhw yn gwisgo PPE o’u corun i’w sawdl bob tro y gwnes i gwrdd â nhw, roeddwn i’n cofio eu lleisiau a pha mor gefnogol ac anogol oedden nhw bob tro y gwnes i gwrdd â nhw. Fe wnaethant amser anodd iawn yn haws ei reoli trwy fod yn normal ar adeg anarferol.”

Dywedodd ei ddyweddi Vicky, “Roedd yn anodd iawn methu ymweld â Richard gan ei fod wedi bod mor sâl ac roeddwn i eisiau rhoi cwtsh iddo a dweud wrtho y byddai popeth yn iawn. Fe ddefnyddion ni dechnoleg gymaint â phosib i weld ein gilydd fwy neu lai ac roedden ni mor hapus pan lwyddodd i ddod adref o’r diwedd. Rydyn ni fel teulu yn hynod ddiolchgar i’r holl staff yn PPH am yr help y gwnaethon nhw ei ddarparu yn ystod amser Richard yn yr ysbyty a’r gefnogaeth mae wedi ei gael ers hynny – diolch o waelod ein calonnau.”

Wrth grynhoi ei brofiad, dywed Richard, “Peidiwch â bod ofn gwirio’ch symptomau cyn gynted â phosibl. Roeddwn i wedi gadael fy un i yn rhy hwyr,” ac “ i barhau i ddilyn cyngor y Llywodraeth ynglŷn â COVID, aros adref ac aros yn ddiogel. Y cyfan roeddwn i wedi’i wneud oedd siopa bwyd hanfodol. Nid yw COVID yn gwahaniaethu yn erbyn unrhyw un. Roeddwn yn ifanc, yn heini ac yn iach a gallwn fod wedi marw oni bai nad oedd fy nyweddi yn derbyn pan ddywedais wrthi fy mod yn “iawn” a hefyd sgiliau anhygoel y tîm meddygol yn Ysbyty Tywysog Philip.”