Coronavirus: Mum's shocking discovery after awaking from coma
A mother-of-three discovered she was pregnant with twins after waking up from an induced coma while battling COVID-19.
Danielle Martin, 32, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, initially had a sore throat which worsened, but she never thought it would be the deadly virus until she began to feel as though she was ‘suffocating’ on March 30.
She was rushed into hospital and was diagnosed with pneumonia but tests revealed it was coronavirus on April 1.
“At first, I just had a sore throat which led to a bad chest and I thought it must be a chest infection but I could barely breath after six days,” the stay-at-home mum said.
“It felt like I was suffocating so [my partner] decided to call an ambulance who came within five minutes and took me away – I was terrified.
“I felt bad leaving my boys but I knew it was for the best – they did scans and diagnosed me with severe pneumonia.
Ms Martin took a turn for the worse and her oxygen levels dropped, leaving medics with no choice but to put her into an induced coma.
She says her time in hospital was a ‘blur’ and her partner Bryan Green, 32, refers to the traumatic ordeal as a ‘living nightmare’ .
“It is crazy how quick things can take a turn for the worse – one day Danielle was sending me photos telling me about the toast she is eating in hospital and then the next she is in ICU,” he said.
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“It was so hard trying to explain to our sons Jaiden, 9, Parker, 3 and Joshua, 2, where mummy is as they had watched her go in the ambulance from the window. I had to put on a brave face and reassure them she will be fine and be home in no time.
“The hospital rang me daily with updates but it was always up and down – one day it would be good news and the next bad.”
After ten days in an induced coma, Ms Martin’s sadness turned to joy as she was informed by medics that she was an expecting mum of twins.
She was nine weeks pregnant but had no idea.
“The doctor rang to say Danielle was spotting and it was highly unlikely if the baby would survive as it was still very early in the pregnancy,” Mr Green, who is a security guard, added.
“It was a living nightmare knowing she is fighting for her life and our unborn baby too.
“But thankfully, we started to receive some good news – she was getting better and they are weaning her off the ventilator.
Ms Martin was put onto the ward for a few days to rest before coming home.
“Once she was out of ICU and on a ward, she rang me to tell me both babies are fine. I was like ‘both?’ at first I thought maybe she is still a little confused from everything she had been through,” Mr Green said.
“But when she said twins, I was so happy and grinning from ear to ear.”
Danielle hadn't been out for ten days prior to catching the virus says she feels “incredibly lucky” to have survived coronavirus but warns others to stay at home as it “could happen to anyone”.
“I woke up feeling very confused and agitated from the coma but once I had came round, I was extremely grateful,” she said.
"I was in disbelief when they told me about the twins – it was the cherry on top of the cake knowing I had beat coronavirus and have twins on the way.
“It is a random way to find out you’re expecting two babies but at least we will be able to remember something good about this horrible time.
“I am recovering with plenty of rest and hoping my friends and family are doing the same.”
Mr Green has set up a GoFundMe for Nightingale Hospital to give something back after they helped his partner and unborn babies.
– Caters
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