Lyn and Doug Harrison pictured with some of the Bendigo Health staff that looked after them during their respective battles with Coronavrius.
Lyn Harrison vaguely recalls having her temperature checked on her doorstep by a paramedic at the end of March.
The next six weeks are a blur for the mother of three and grandmother of eight, but the events will doubtless live long in the memory of the Harrison family.
Lyn was admitted to Bendigo Health on March 29 and spent 20 days in the Intensive Care Unit after testing positive to Coronavirus.
Images of Lyn in ICU are the only memories she has.
“The Doctors took those photos for the girls because my daughters didn’t think I would get out. They didn’t think they’d ever see me alive again,” she said.
“I want to thank the ICU staff for not giving up on me.”
Lyn’s progress has been slow but after moving into the respiratory ward and then the rehabilitation ward, she’s close to being 100 per cent and feels ready to go home.
“Just this morning I managed to walk up some steps, I couldn’t do that a few days ago, it’s amazing how much you improve,” she said.
“From the physios, to the cleaners and all the staff involved, I want to say thank you. What would we do without them.”
Lyn and husband Doug were on a bus trip in New Zealand when they decided to come back to Australia as the virus began to take hold across the world.
During their mandatory period of 14 days in isolation, temptation abounded.
“If we had cuddled the grandkids, those kids go to three different schools and one university, it could have gone haywire so I’m glad we took it seriously,” she said.
“People have to take lockdown seriously.”
Doug spent 10 days in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.
With weeks of home-based rehabilitation still ahead of her, Lyn wants the community to know she is clear of the disease and people should not be apprehensive about contacting her.
“There was lots of people praying for me and I thank them for that,” she said.
Once discharged, she plans to spend much-needed time with her family appreciate the little things.
“I’m going to poke the kids to see if they’re real and not just photos,” she joked.
“I’ll sit in my recliner, look at the garden and just think how lucky I am to be here.”