Active recovery - Clarendon Lodge Medical Practice

Darren Whitley, a patient at Clarendon Lodge, shares his experience of getting active as he recovered from Covid-19.

I caught COVID-19 just before my vaccination was due in February 2021, which lead to 15 days in a coma, 45 days in ITU. It was a tough experience and left me with numerous issues; scarring on my lungs, some neurological issues as well as fatigue, not to mention deconditioning along with two re-admissions into hospital from infections in recovery.

As soon as I was discharged from hospital, my GP, Clarendon Lodge invited me to Run Talk Run, which, for me became Walk Talk Walk. This lead to quite a bit of coaching on what I needed to be doing in physical exercise and lifestyle in recovery which I’ve continued mostly under my own steam but with contact with session hosts, other participants from those early days having realised what was needed and what worked for me.  

I also had a referral to a local gym under a partnership with the GP and this offered support early on in that return and gave me the confidence and plenty to go at in the gym within my range of ability.

For me, the goals were, and remain: Strength, Stamina, Fitness, and Concentration.

I should say that pre–Covid I was obese; but it wasn’t about weight for me – pre-illness I functioned well at work which involved a fair bit of walking so in my mind, at that time I was fine. Weight loss came in addressing my recovery goals above and I'm now 5 stone lighter.

Recovery has progressed with steadily improving physical fitness in general and a corresponding improvement in stamina - I was back working full time, unrestricted by Christmas 2021.

When I’m jogging I still get dog walkers overtaking me, but my range and breathing are as good as anyone’s, and I’d say I’m in a better state of overall health now than I was before illness, recognising there’s more to do.

When I was in hospital I was asked what I wanted in recovery and it was a simple goal; to get back to where I was before I was ill. The lung doctor said words to the effect of ‘we can give you an inhaler, or, if you get yourself fit then you may be able to manage without one’.  I didn’t want an inhaler, and have never needed one in recovery. For me, the driver when flagging or lapsing is always to remind myself of the distress at struggling to breath.

I own the recovery but it’s supported and encouraged by a wide group including my GP for which I’m grateful as it helped set out the foundations for me to manage my recovery.