Covid-19 strikes another family where it hurts most
NORTHCLIFF – The thought of her husband contracting Covid-19 in hospital is what is most shocking.
The wife of a man who passed away from Covid-19 complications was shocked that her husband contracted the virus in hospital.
Yola Bastiman, her family and friends are all in mourning after the passing of her husband Anthony Bastiman (known as Tony) due to Covid-19 complications while in a Roodepoort-based hospital. Those around him could not believe that he passed on during the early hours of 9 July. Yola herself was stunned when she got the phone call as the hospital was the last place she would’ve thought Tony would contract the virus. She stated, “He had tested negative shortly after being admitted to hospital for his liver condition. I never dreamed he would contract the virus in hospital.” She immediately felt desperately sad that she couldn’t visit her husband prior to bring hope during his last weeks and at the end to comfort him.
Yola explained that Tony was admitted to hospital on 30 May for complications relating to his liver. Upon his admission to hospital he was tested for Covid-19, like all other patients, and his results were negative. He was then attended to by the hospital in intensive care, his specialists and, on 30 June, a decision was taken to transfer him to another healthcare facility. On 2 July, the process to transfer Tony had been initiated but he had to be retested for Covid-19 before leaving for the other facility. The tests came back positive. “I knew he was going to be tested again but because he was negative when he went into the hospital I naturally assumed he would test negative again and we would carry on with our plan.”
On 3 July, Yola discovered Tony was moved to a Covid-19 ward and is frustrated that no one from the hospital bothered to inform her of the changes [was she not informed that he was moved or not informed that he tested positive?]. She explained, “No one had notified me, not the specialist, not the nurses who work with the specialists and nobody from the previous ward notified me.” Having spoken to hospital staff on 2 July, she was extremely frustrated that this information was withheld from her until she discovered it herself.
After six weeks in hospital, the one fear that made calling an ambulance on 30 May for Tony difficult came back to haunt her. “If I could’ve kept him at home I would’ve but, unfortunately, I had to ring the ambulance, he was just too ill but I was really wrestling with doing it.” A feeling many have had after losing a loved one to Covid-19 in hospital. This is a developing story. An update will be made as soon as one becomes available.
