A glamorous young mother has spoken out from her hospital bed while still hooked up to oxygen to warn young people about the reality of Covid as cases reach record levels.
Tilly Thorpe, 33, thought she would only suffer flu-like symptoms if she caught coronavirus as the virus is seen to mainly affects the old.
But after fighting Covid at home for 12 days, she ended up in hospital with pneumonia, hooked up to an IV drip and treated with steroids, painkillers, anti-nausea drugs and oxygen.
The single mother-of-one, from Newton-Le-Willows in Cheshire, says she wants young people to realise the deadly disease can be serious for any age.
Her warning came as the UK marked a record 6,634 positive cases in a single day yesterday, with 40 deaths.
In an exclusive interview from her bed in Warrington Hospital, she told MailOnline: ‘I had no energy, the pain was unbelievable and I just didn’t know what to do.
Tilly Thorpe has spoken out from her hospital bed while still hooked up to oxygen to warn young people about the reality of Covid as cases reach record levels. After fighting Covid at home for 12 days, she ended up with pneumonia, hooked up to an IV drip and steroids
The single mother-of-one, from Newton-Le-Willows in Cheshire, says she wants young people to realise the deadly disease can be serious for anyone. Her warning came as the UK marked a record 6,634 positive cases in a single day yesterday, with 40 deaths
In an exclusive interview from her bed in Warrington Hospital, she told MailOnline: ‘I had no energy, the pain was unbelievable and I just didn’t know what to do’
Having not seen her seven-year-old son since she fell ill, Ms Thorpe added: ‘I just think everyone gets it differently and young people need to know Covid has not gone away’
‘I thought I was fit and healthy and I struggled at home for 12 days thinking ‘I can do this’ until I couldn’t take it any more.’
Having not seen her seven-year-old son since she fell ill, she added: ‘I just think everyone gets it differently and young people need to know Covid has not gone away.’
Ms Thorpe, a crisis manager for a travel company, said she first felt ill two weeks ago.
‘I woke up the first day with a banging head ache, hot sweats and feeling like someone was sat on my chest.
‘I didn’t feel bad bad just felt under the weather. As the day went on I thought I should go and get a test as I have a 7-year-old son so didn’t want to put him at risk.’
The regular gym goer managed to get a test nearby and found she was positive. She sent her son to his father to protect him.
As the days passed, she became so ill that she could not hold down fluids or food and her face became bloated.
‘My breathing was getting worse and I felt like I was out of breath just walking to the toilet or getting a drink of water… by day seven I started being sick not being able to keep water down.’
She rang NHS Direct and was told to keep drinking flat Lucozade to keep her blood sugars up.
But by day ten, she was unable to keep even fluids down and recalled: ‘I couldn’t take it anymore and had to ring the out-of-hours GP. ‘
As the worsening symptoms began to overwhelm her last weekend, concerned medics finally called an ambulance.
‘I’ve never been so relieved to be going into hospital. Since getting to Warrington Hospital four days ago I have been on IV drips, anti sickness drugs, pain relief, oxygen and then steroids to help with my pneumonia.
Ms Thorpe, a crisis manager for a travel company, (pictured before she fell ill)said she first felt ill two weeks ago. ‘I woke up the first day with a banging head ache, hot sweats and feeling like someone was sat on my chest’
As the days passed, she became so ill that she could not hold down fluids or food and her face became bloated. As the worsening symptoms began to overwhelm her last weekend, concerned medics finally called an ambulance
Ms Thorpe is now improving but won’t be reunited with her son until her symptoms have fully cleared up and said not being able to see him while she was in hospital has been the ‘worst thing of all’
‘The doctors and nurses are all great they are really doing an amazing job.’
Ms Thorpe said that as part of her job she had helped repatriate British citizens around the world so was acutely aware of the pandemic’s global threat.
She was careful to stay at home as much as possible and followed government safety guidance. But in recent months, she admits like many others, she may have let her guard down.
‘At first I was very strict, but over the summer I have become relaxed when the rules changed,’ she said. ‘I’ve had a few meals out and a few drinks with friends and you kind of just want to get back to some kind of norm.
‘But a fortnight ago – the week I actually caught it – I realised how high the figures were in my area and I was starting to get a little worried, telling my parents and older family members to be careful and maybe stay in a little bit more and do their shopping later at night.
‘But I didn’t think of myself as being at risk – I just thought if I got it I’d be ok as I’m healthy’.
Ms Thorpe is now improving but won’t be reunited with her son until her symptoms have fully cleared up and said not being able to see him while she was in hospital has been the ‘worst thing of all.’
‘I’m missing him like crazy,’ she said. ‘I try to speak to him as much as possible as he thinks I’ve been at home this whole time self isolating.
‘I just want to make it clear to everyone that we’re dealing with a real problem – this can be deadly.’