Englishman David Ross (37) initially assumed that his threatening cough would pass soon. But it turned out to be a symptom of a serious illness that would have killed him if he hadn’t sought medical help in time. , is currently trying to raise money for the paramedics who cared for him.
- David ignored his strong cough.
- A few days later, he started coughing up and urinating blood, so he went to the hospital.
- Doctors diagnosed him with septic shock and put him on artificial lung ventilation.
He didn’t have much time left
David from London was on a business trip in India in May last year, where out of nowhere he started coughing heavily. Although he thought the unpleasant symptom would disappear before he returned home to England, his health deteriorated further. “On Saturday, I was coughing all the time, but I still thought it was just an ordinary illness. I took painkillers and went to bed. I was sweating all the time at night. The next morning I told myself I had to go to the doctor. I managed to get an appointment for the same evening“, he stated.
A few hours later, however, David began to cough up and urinate blood. Therefore, he urgently went to the hospital, where his condition worried the doctors. Investigations revealed that he had septic shock caused by severe bilateral pneumonia. “I asked them what my chances of survival were if I wasn’t intubated. They answered me that they are zero. If you get such a serious septic shock and you don’t start immediate treatment, you’ll be dead within 18 hours,” stated the devastated man.
Paramedics quickly connected the Englishman to artificial pulmonary ventilation, but despite intensive treatment, his condition worsened during the night. Three days later, he finally woke up in the intensive care unit. “My partner was 37 weeks pregnant and the doctors told her flat out: ‘If she survives, she won’t be well for a long time.’ I was even more motivated by the knowledge that I would soon become a father,” revealed David.
Despite the fact that his lungs were only functioning at 20 percent, David was able to overcome the serious illness after only a few days and was able to be there for the birth of his son Ari. “I was extremely lucky with the top-notch care I received. The help from the staff was simply excellent. They literally saved my life,” he admitted with gratitude.
David is currently preparing for the London Marathon to raise money for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). His collection will directly support the Whittington Health Charity, which raises funds to improve patient care and the hospital environment.
