In the face of death: Case 15 recalls her 18-day battle with Covid-19

SINGAPORE — “Am I dying?” That was the thought that flashed through Mrs Zhang’s mind as an oxygen tube was inserted into her nose and the level turned up — one, two, four and then six litres per minute.

It was to enable her to breathe, except it did not work because her lungs were not functioning well.

Mrs Zhang, who asked for her identity to be kept confidential, was previously known as Case 15 in the list of Singapore’s Covid-19 patients.

She spoke about her harrowing experience in a transcript that the Ministry of Health shared with the media on Sunday (Feb 16), the same day she was discharged from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), where she had been warded for 18 days.

The 47-year-old naturalised Singaporean has lived in Singapore for more than two decades.

She, her husband and their teenage son were among the 92 Singaporeans who were evacuated from Wuhan on Jan 30.

Mrs Zhang was asymptomatic when she boarded the flight, but was found to have a fever when she landed at the Changi Airport on the same day.

She was immediately taken in an ambulance to the NCID. The following day, she tested positive for Covid-19.

Then two days into her hospital stay, Mrs Zhang’s condition deteriorated.

“I remember vividly the day I had extreme difficulty in breathing, and felt that I was dying,” she said.

“I thought: ‘Am I dying?’ The nurse helped me to pack my things meticulously, and sent them to the intensive care unit.”

The doctors and nurses at the ICU acted swiftly, she said.

“At that time, I could not move, but my mind was clear. I heard their conversation clearly,” Mrs Zhang said.

“A doctor kept holding my head and telling me not to worry. She kept reassuring me.”

SON STILL RECEIVING TREATMENT

Her son had also tested positive for the Covid-19 infection and is still receiving treatment at the NCID.

“The nurse takes a sample from his nose every day for testing,” Mrs Zhang said. “He has not been given a clean bill of health, but he has not had other symptoms.”

Her husband was not infected with the virus.

“When I came out from ICU, my husband told me that he hadn’t been able to sleep for a few nights. I know if I was in his position, I would have collapsed.”

Mrs Zhang lavished praise on the staff at NCID, whom she described as “excellent”.

“They treated me like family, I am really grateful to them,” she said.

“They kept encouraging me every day. They asked me not to give up hope and kept cheering me on.”

After being discharged, she plans to go home to recuperate and get back to her routine.

“I want to resume my daily exercise with my friends. But I don’t think it is possible as it is best people do not gather,” she said.

“I just want to go back to my ordinary life, to go exercising with my friends, then marketing, and have a cup of coffee. Later in the night, prepare dinner for my husband and children. I think that would be good.”

For those who are going through the same ordeal, Mrs Zhang has a message for them.

“This disease does not mean inevitable death,” she said.

“I have confidence in our medical team… I believe they will be able to save us.”