Lower Mainland resident Cathy Gibbs wasnB次元官网网址檛 feeling well, but she didnB次元官网网址檛 think it was anything too serious.

SheB次元官网网址檇 recently been to dinner at the house of a neighbour who was part of her B次元官网网址渂ubbleB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� a limited number of people she didnB次元官网网址檛 have to be socially distant with during the current coronavirus pandemic.

B次元官网网址淎ll of a sudden, after dinner, she [the neighbour] got unwell,B次元官网网址� Gibbs described.

Shortly after that, the neighbour phoned Gibbs.

B次元官网网址淪he said she had been exposed to COVID and now I had, too,B次元官网网址� Gibbs recalled.

B次元官网网址淲e were responsible and it still got us.B次元官网网址�

The Langley City woman decided to self-isolate at home.

She developed a persistent cough.

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B次元官网网址淚 just kept getting sicker and sicker,B次元官网网址� Gibbs recalled, but she didnB次元官网网址檛 think it was too serious.

But her daughter, Tammy, could hear the difference in her motherB次元官网网址檚 voice when they spoke on the phone.

Tammy, who lives in Edmonton, phoned the local ambulance service.

B次元官网网址淪omeoneB次元官网网址檚 got to check on my mom,B次元官网网址� Tammy said.

When Tammy explained her mom wasnB次元官网网址檛 in Edmonton, but in B.C., the Alberta paramedics connected with their B.C. counterparts, and an ambulance team arrived at GibbB次元官网网址檚 door to check her health.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 when I found out I have pneumonia [caused by COVID-19],B次元官网网址� Gibbs recalled.

B次元官网网址淚 just didnB次元官网网址檛 realize I was as sick as I was.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淭hey werenB次元官网网址檛 taking any chances, thatB次元官网网址檚 for sure,B次元官网网址� Gibbs commented.

She is full of praise for the paramedics and medical staff at both hospitals.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 say enough.B次元官网网址�

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At 72, Gibbs was enjoying an active retirement after several years as Langley MLA Mary PolakB次元官网网址檚 constituency assistant, as well as PolakB次元官网网址檚 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 B次元官网网址� unable to get out of bed without assistance.

To help her lungs recover, B次元官网网址淚 have to lay on my stomach for two hours a day,B次元官网网址� she told the Langley Advance Times during a telephone interview from her ICU room at SMH. SheB次元官网网址檚 one of the 10 in B.C. who top doc Dr. Bonnie Henry has listed in ICU with COVID this week.

Gibbs isnB次元官网网址檛 sure when she will be coming home.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 too early to say.B次元官网网址�

She said medical staff seemed happy with her progress to date.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 actually doing pretty well,B次元官网网址� Gibbs said. B次元官网网址淚 can actually sit up in a chair. My energy is coming back and the COVID B次元官网网址榝ogB次元官网网址� has lifted.B次元官网网址�

GibbsB次元官网网址� advice to people who doubt the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic; B次元官网网址渋t is realB次元官网网址� 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.

B次元官网网址淚 know that this virus has affected your life, itB次元官网网址檚 affected everyone,B次元官网网址� her Facebook posting read.

B次元官网网址淵ou can be grateful that you wonB次元官网网址檛 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 doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean that I want to die, do YOU get that?B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淚 am so overwhelmed with the show of support I canB次元官网网址檛 even find the words,B次元官网网址� Gibbs posted.

B次元官网网址淭hank you hardly seems enough, but thatB次元官网网址檚 what I have. Thank you and love you all.B次元官网网址�

dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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