It’s a birthday party Peter Nairn McConnachie’s family didn’t believe was even possible a few weeks earlier.
The longtime Tsawwassen resident and Second World War veteran turns 97 on Saturday and he is fresh off beating COVID-19.
McConnachie was diagnosed with the virus shortly after New Year’s Day and was to remain in his apartment at KinVillage where the seniors care facility has dealt with a number of outbreaks. However, his condition worsened and he was transferred to Delta Hospital where it was determined he had developed pneumonia.
“He had a ‘do not resuscitate’ clause where he didn’t want to be put on a ventilator,” explained his grandson Andrew Johns. “He was on an antibiotic medication and six litres of oxygen. He was not doing well. We were certain he was going to pass away and we were all preparing for that.”
Johns said his grandfather also has a predisposed respiratory issue and about a decade earlier suffered a heart attack and had to be revived. Still, with all his medical issues, his condition took a turn for the better about 10 days later. Encouraging him along the way was family visits through a glass window in his enclosed room.
Earlier this week, he was removed from oxygen and was remarkably discharged from Delta Hospital on Thursday.
“This is a guy who fights in World War II in Europe at 21 and was clinically dead for two to three minutes (from his heart attack). Now at 97 he has beaten COVID. This man has nine lives. It’s incredible,” said Johns.
The family said McConnachie also overcame some difficult conditions as Delta Hospital maneuvered its COVID ward that had increased up to eight patients at one point. The hospital had to deal with an outbreak back in September.
Among the issues his family brought to the attention of the hospital and Fraser Health was being unable to shower or shave for three weeks and no TV or electronic devices allowed in his room.
“I had a fairly lengthy call with Amera Taylor, manager of medicine at Delta Hospital and she was fantastic. She explained everything,” said Johns. “A lot of the things we were frustrated about she is frustrated with too.
“The lack of TVs was a call made by Fraser Health. A lot of the stuff is out of (Delta Hospital’s) control. In my observation this is not a staffing issue. It’s an infrastructure issue. “I don’t think the hospital is really designed for a long-term stay. If you are there two or three days you are not really worry about showering or shaving.”
It all just adds up to making his birthday celebration even sweeter,” said Johns, who added that the family plans to gather below McConnachie’s third floor apartment on Saturday afternoon and sing him Happy Birthday. Up close greetings will come after he comes out of two weeks of quarantine.
