Tayside’s “sickest survivor” of Covid-19 was cheered and applauded as he was discharged from Ninewells after a 128 day stay in hospital.
Professor Grant McIntyre, 49, has finally left hospital, with the assistance of a walking stick, after a gruelling battle with the virus.
The orthodontist and clinical director for Dundee Dental Hospital was previously applauded by health staff when he was the last patient to leave the intensive care unit (ICU) in June.
The Perthshire man fell ill at the end of March and spent around a week in the Covid-19 ICU in Ninewells Hospital, but was moved to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for six weeks to receive Ecmo treatment — a technique which provides cardiac and respiratory support to sustain blood oxygen levels.
On his return to Dundee, Grant’s condition steadily improved and after leaving ICU he was transferred to a respiratory ward. There, he underwent daily rehabilitation, from physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
He was left so sick after multi-organ failure that he had to relearn to speak, walk and coordinate his arms.
Grant said: “My family and I will be eternally grateful to the amazing healthcare teams for saving my life when my body went into multi-organ failure and the remarkable rehabilitation journey to enable me to live a normal life again.
“When I fell ill at the end of March, I did not know that Covid-19 would leave me fighting for life. I’m told that I am the ‘sickest survivor’ in Tayside.
“Although our family is aware of many other families who have not been as fortunate as us, we are looking forward to a positive future by spending much needed time together as well as returning to golf, skiing and motorcycling over the next year.”
Sarah Matthews, physiotherapy team leader for respiratory and critical care, said: “There have been hundreds of people involved in Grant’s care and I am incredibly proud of the way that all of the staff, both in Ninewells and Aberdeen, have pulled together with the goal to get Grant home and back to living his life.”
Grant’s rehabilitation will now continue at home. In the coming weeks he will receive support from occupational therapy teams, passing over his management to the community therapy services as his condition improves.
