Grandfather returns home after one-year Covid ordeal

Len Redding, a retired factory supervisor who worked at Lander Automotive in Quinton, was finally able to return to his home in Heath Farm Road, Stourbridge, last Wednesday (April 7) - exactly 12 months since he was admitted to hospital.

Mr Redding had been a fit 69-year-old active grandfather who would walk his two grandsons to and from school every day prior to the pandemic.

Pre-Covid - Len Redding and wife Pat

But on Mother's Day 2020, March 22, he began feeling cold and unwell, with a worsening flu-like illness but none of the tell-tale Covid symptoms - a high temperature and/or distinctive cough.

He lost his appetite and was feeling listless and then confused so at first it was thought he had an infection and that antibiotics would do the trick. They didn't however, and Len was taken to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley by ambulance on April 7.

The day after being admitted he was sedated and put on a ventilator.

After a month he was finally taken off the mechanical ventilator and given oxygen via a tracheostomy, and later on May 20 a device was fitted to enable him to speak for the first time since being taken away in the ambulance.

His family told how his first words to wife Pat - 'hello chick' - made them cry!

Len Redding in hospital, pictured with wife Pat at his bedside

However - Len's journey back to health was far from over.

After the tracheostomy was removed he was transferred to a rehabilitation ward but after three nights found himself returned to the high dependency unit before it was back to ITU and the ventilator.

His daughter Karen Billington said: "We waited with baited breath whilst he was taken off to have the tube put back into his windpipe. It wasn’t a given that he would survive this procedure.

"Whilst we waited in a small room on ITU a staff member brought in a bag containing his belongings – we really thought it was the end. Dad battled on, however, and after a few days was able to come off the ventilator and manage with just oxygen support.

"We again thought he was on the way to recovery. Then I got a call from his consultant to say he had dipped again and they had to fit another tracheostomy. "This time it was likely to be permanent."

The family, however, prayed he would fight on.

Fight on he did, and his condition stabilised. Although he was having to be fed through a tube - and again the family say they were told this may be permanent.

But some good new came on August 6 when he was finally transferred to Wolverhampton care home, Royal Park, for rehabilitation.

There he began to take a few steps unaided but struggled to breathe due to damage to his lungs and lack of muscle tone from many months in hospital.

He was not out of the woods yet. On September 26 his condition dipped again and he had to be transferred to New Cross Hospital with breathing difficulties.

Diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, he was put back on oxygen and IV antibiotics but was able to return to the care home on October 5.

However - he suffered another bout of aspiration pneumonia and on October 27 was returned to New Cross and kept in until November 3.

Eventually conversations started to be had about his return home but it was to take another five months before this would become a reality.

Pat Redding, right, visits husband Len at Royal Park

The family's hopes of a Christmas reunion came and went and the weeks continued to tick by until eventually he was finally able to walk back through his front door last week - a year after leaving.

Len Redding, right, finally back home with wife Pat

He missed his 70th birthday and his 48th wedding anniversary last July while away but family hope to make up for the lost celebrations over the coming weeks and months ahead.

His son-in-law Ian Billington told the News he has been "in awe" of Len's determination to fight against the hand fate had dealt him and come out the other side and he also praised the level of care he received from the NHS along the way.

Len Redding, right, back home - with son in law Ian Billington

He said: "I'm also in awe of the doctors and nurses and therapists and ITU team who got him to the stage where he was what's classed as a rehabilitable patient. It's great to see and it's something that should be celebrated."

Len Redding - on the road to recovery after his first few days at home

Mr Billington said Len has come on "leaps and bounds" since returning home - managing to take a few steps into his garden to enjoy the sunshine - but he still faces many months, possibly a year, of recuperating ahead of him.

However - for now he's just "chuffed" to be back with his family.