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After five weeks in hospital due to COVID-19, Serena finally gets to go home

May 6, 2020

Serena leaving Sunnybrook Serena leaving Sunnybrook

Today, Serena got to go home.

Nearly five weeks ago, she ended up in Sunnybrook’s intensive care unit after contracting COVID-19. She needed help to breathe, and later was near death after suffering a massive gastrointestinal bleed.

Thankfully, she survived.

But as her body began to heal the infection, her muscles began to weaken. She spent three weeks in acute care.

Once independent and living with her boyfriend of eight years, Serena now couldn’t walk 4-5 metres unassisted, and without needing to rest. Seemingly simple tasks like bathing and getting out of bed became impossible for her to do on her own. No longer needing acute care, Serena was moved to St. John’s Rehab to rebuild her strength.

And, after two weeks of intensive physio and occupational therapy, she was walking out the door.

“It’s bittersweet – I’m happy to go home, but I’m really going to miss everyone,” she says.