A brave Cambuslang teenager is encouraging locals to get vaccinated after she spent a week in a high dependency ward fighting COVID-19.
Luci Smith was hospitalised for seven days, unable to breathe on her own as the Delta variant of the virus took hold of her body.
Now, back at her Drumsagard home, Luci and her mum have shared the teen's story in a bid to encourage others, particularly teenagers, to take the vaccine when offered it.
The healthy 16-year-old has no underlying health issues and her family have stuck to the COVID guidelines “religiously” during the pandemic - so it was a huge shock to the family when Luci picked up the virus.
Mum Susan told Lanarkshire Live : “Both my husband and I have been double vaccinated due to health problems and as a family we have stuck religiously to the guidelines issued by the First Minister.
“Luci’s older sister Sophy moved out last year too in a bid to prevent the virus being brought in to our home.
“Luci has no health problems and she normally keeps herself to herself anyway, so it came as a huge shock that she picked up the virus.”
Luci’s fight with the virus started on Saturday, July 17 when she complained of a sore throat and was coughing. Her lateral flow test returned a negative result.
However, on the Monday, Susan was concerned as she felt Luci's condition had deteriorated. A second lateral flow test returned a positive result.
Susan added: “By the Monday, Luci looked terrible and her cough was continuing, so I encouraged her to take another test.
“She was in her room and she sent me a message about 9.30pm saying she was positive.
“I said to my husband Alfie she was positive and we both couldn’t believe it.
“I went upstairs and she came to her bedroom door in tears. She came to give me a hug and I felt like the worst mum, because I couldn’t hug my daughter. It was the worst feeling in the world.
“She stayed in her room that night and we arranged a PCR for the following morning.”
Less than 12 hours later, Luci returned a second positive result for the virus, whilst her parents returned negative result.
The next few days Luci’s condition worsened and the following Monday things took a turn for the worse. Susan who was working from home could hear Luci "coughing her guts up.”
Susan added: “I phoned my GP and he advised to get her into the care system.
“As soon as got to the centre, the receptionist asked for Luci’s name and date of birth and as soon as she said her name, she collapsed.
“A wheelchair was brought for her, I was trying not to cry, but all I could do was panic.
“She was taken to the Queen Elizabeth and I was just sat there absolutely devastated.
“The nurse said to me ‘the signs that Luci is showing are signs you don’t see in young people, it’s symptoms you see in COPD patients'.”
Doctors put Luci on 15 litres of oxygen as she struggled to breathe on her own, and was ultimately put in to the high dependency unit
Devastated, Susan said: “I was trying to take all the information in from the doctors, but I couldn’t believe my Luci was in there.
“I kept going outside her curtain for a cry so she didn’t see me upset.
“A doctor came round and I asked her for reassurance, and she said ‘Luci’s got COVID pneumonia and her lungs are ravished. This new Delta variant is so clever to attack the body, I can’t say how she will get on, but she’s in the right place.’ and that just broke me.”
Luci remained in the HDU until Sunday where doctors were able to wean her off the oxygen before moving her back in to the respiratory ward.
They then decided she could be discharged on the Monday, August 2.
And Susan admits that in a bid to try get Luci better, she was attempting to bribe her.
She said: “I kept saying to Luci, is there anything that will make you fight this? And she takes her oxygen mask off and she told me ‘mum I’d really love a third puppy back at home.”
So on Monday that Luci was released from hospital, Susan picked up Ozzy the chihuahua she said: “It all worked out great, I picked up Ozzy at 11am and got Luci at 1.30pm.
“And now they are both at home, the pup is settling and Luci is on the road to recovery. I couldn’t be more grateful to the hospital staff and to everyone who said prayers or who messaged me to send their well wishes.
"It is all truly appreciated.”
Both Susan and Luci are huge advocates of the vaccine programme and are urging locals to roll up their sleeves when offered the vaccine.
Now on the road to recovery, Luci told us: “Surprisingly I feel a lot better, I am so much better than what I was last Monday.
“It’s tough adjusting and going up the stairs is exhausting.
“It was horrible being in the high dependency ward, it’s all a bit of a blur really. I was just eating and sleeping.
“The nurses were all really great and now I am just getting better with little Ozzy for company.
“I will be taking my vaccine when I am offered it when I have fully recovered and I think everyone should roll up their sleeves too.”
“It gave us all a scare and there was a time we thought we would lose her,” said Susan.
“I would encourage everyone of all ages to get vaccinated when offered, please don’t let this happen to your loved ones.
“Our best fight against this awful virus is being vaccinated.”
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