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Keady man Donald beats Covid aged 91 – then pens poem to thank NHS for his ‘excellent care’

"They should all be rewarded when we’re out of this mess, compensation and medals and from me a ‘God Bless’."

Donald McKenna
Donald McKenna who beat Covid at the age of 91

A 91-year-old Keady man who has just battled and beaten Covid has written a poem to thank the medical teams who tended to him in his time of need.

Donald McKenna put pen to paper to write ‘Covi over and I’m back in the clover’ as a tribute and in recognition of the care he received from the NHS.

Donald tested positive for Covid-19 on New Year’s Day.

And according to his daughter he was “doing well” for the first week.

But she told Armagh I: “He started to get a very high temperature and his oxygen levels started dipping.

“He was very lucky to be cared for at home by the Acute Care at Home Team which is run by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.

“Daddy was pretty bad for a few days; he was on oxygen 24/7 for a week. He got discharged from the Acute Care at Home Team last Monday.

“He is well on the road to recovery and back out walking again.

“He realises how fortunate he has been and wanted to say thanks to the NHS for all the excellent care he received.”

Donald McKenna’s poem is printed in full here…

Have you ever been in lockdown lads or have you felt the pain
I’d rather be hung on a Christmas tree than go down that road again
I wasn’t feeling very well and went and got the test
They awarded me a P and I was locked up with the rest
Some of them were not too bad and I was the worst of the pack
Now I’ve been through the wringer and been to Hell and back
For 18 days I fought my fights, pain filled days and sleepless nights
Now I’ve been discharged and they say I’ll live
But I’ve got more wee holes than a bloody sieve
But I’ll not complain it’s a small price to pay
A pair of wet feet when I’m drinking my tay
But before that I finish I’d like to say thanks
To the team of professionals that put me back on my shanks
I was checked out and tested in dozens of ways
But for the doctors and nurses I have nothing but praise
They should all be rewarded when we’re out of this mess
Compensation and medals and from me a ‘God Bless’.

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