“I felt alone, scared and uncertain of who I was or if I’d ever get my old life back.”
Before I came to Vitality360
Here Samantha is with her yoga practice programme
I was trying to get my life back after spending two months in ICU and HDU, five weeks of which I was in a coma and nearly died twice, due to Covid. This was back in November 2021.
I still had health issues, around my breathing and mobility, as I’d left hospital unable to walk unaided.
My confidence was at an all time low, I didn’t recognise myself and despite everything I was doing to get better, I wasn’t getting very far, very fast.
I felt alone, scared, and uncertain of who I was or if I’d ever get my old life back.
How has the programme helped you gain some vitality?
I was determined to prove to myself and everyone else I was ok, but I was struggling with fatigue and pain.
Thanks to the pacing and other suggestions, I understood that pushing myself wasn’t the answer, and very soon I started to see a real difference in what I could do and more importantly, in my mood.
This especially helped with my return to work, as I was trying so hard to prove myself, I wasn’t allowing myself to heal.
How did the clinician/s support you in this process?
They listened.
So many people didn’t want to talk about what had happened to me, or they got upset at how ill I’d been. I felt no-one really understood.
Having someone that really understood what I’d been through and could offer sound guidance and support was invaluable and I can’t thank them enough.
I have used activity to help build (rebuild?) myself mentally and physically. I wanted very much to get ‘back to normal’ and used the physio guidance and yoga to help rebuild muscle mass. I have had to relearn how to walk, which has got much easier, however I still can’t do long distances.
Yoga helped with my mental state too, which wasn’t great a lot of the time, and with my breathing and lung capacity.
What was the most beneficial aspect of the programmes overall?
Emily helped me understand that healing was holistic and that I needed to find enjoyment in my life again as well as building my stamina and returning to work.
Amanda showed me that I ‘had the capability but not the capacity’ to do my work and that being part time wasn’t a failure. All of this helped me regain some confidence in myself and what I could still achieve.
“It’s great to hear Samantha’s feedback about her rehabilitation programme with us. After being severely unwell in ICU following a Covid-19 infection, she had challenges in many different areas. This included having difficulty with breathing, mobility and managing multiple symptoms such as fatigue and pain.
She was interested in exploring different approaches and remained committed and enthusiastic throughout rehabilitation. This supported her to build her physical capacity, to develop more balance in her life and to remain working.”