A mother who feared she would die from coronavirus has praised hospital staff for keeping her alive.

Linsey McFarlane, 34, from Ormesby Road in Badersfield, who has severe asthma, spent four days at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) receiving oxygen after deteriorating rapidly at home since developing a cough, headache and tiredness on April 1.

After waking up early in the morning “violently shaking” with a fever, on Easter Sunday she was rushed into hospital to its dedicated Coronavirus treatment area by ambulance later that day after she rang 111.

Mrs McFarlane, who has a four-year-old son and seven-year-old son, said: “My breathing was way too fast, I was taking shallow breaths and I felt like the bottom of my lungs had disappeared. I felt pretty rough and there was horrific pain in my back. By the time I was moved onto a ward I was physically exhausted and terrified. I was on IV antibiotics, oral antibiotics and constant oxygen.

“I was going downhill at this point I couldn’t move and couldn’t even message my husband to tell him I was alive. It was grim. I didn’t want to shut my eyes because I was terrified they wouldn’t open again.

“On the Sunday night my husband Alistair was a mess and Charles, my seven-year-old, asked him if mummy was going to die.

“My family or friends who knew about my illness did not think I would come out of the hospital. Without the NNUH staff I wouldn’t be here now.”

She added she was living in fear of the virus since the beginning of March because of the severity of her asthma and had not gone out of the house much in a bid to protect herself.

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She said: “I cannot praise the staff in the hospital enough. I want to say thank you to the NHS so much for their passion and dedication. I will be forever grateful.”

Mrs McFarlane wanted to also thank a healthcare assistant called Rosie.

“She was fantastic. The care from her was something I have never experienced before. Her compassion was amazing.”

The mother-of-two is recovering well and added: “The experience has hammered home how precious life is. When I got home it was pure relief. Both my boys ran up to me and gave me the biggest cuddle.”

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