The Alfred Hospital nurse Franklin Walde prepared to die as he battled coronavirus
A frontline nurse has told of his terrifying battle to beat coronavirus and how he said goodbye to his family as he struggled to survive.
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A frontline nurse who treated some of the state's first COVID-19 patients and almost died from the virus himself has told of his “terrifying” ordeal in a stark warning to Victorians.
Franklin Walde was left in the fight of his life in April after he was unknowingly exposed to the deadly virus by a patient at The Alfred hospital.
At a time only a few cases were confirmed in Australia it soon became apparent the virus had hit Victorian shores — and it left the father-of-two battling to survive, and saying goodbye to his family over the phone.
Mr Walde, 50, is as experienced as they come.
A nurse for more than 25 years — and an “after-hours” staffer — he is often deployed to different wards across the hospital.
This includes everything from neurology and infection control to cancer care.
This night on March 20, as the coronavirus was slowly but surely spreading across the globe, was no different.
“I was in one of the wards at the hospital this morning, it was early morning — around 4am — and there was a medical emergency,” Mr Walde told the Herald Sun.
“I went to help at this patient’s bedside and within 10 minutes they had to rush the patient to ICU.
“I continued with my work at the hospital and then in the afternoon on that same day (when home) I received a call from my manager from the night to say I’ve been exposed (to COVID-19).
“The first two patients that had COVID (at the hospital), those were my patients. And nobody knew they were positive.”
Frightened and acutely aware of just how deadly a coronavirus could be, Mr Walde began self-isolating.
So too did his wife, Liwayway, who is also a nurse at the hospital.
“I started isolating myself from my family, my children. I just stayed in my room and after 3 days I started having the first symptoms,” Mr Walde said.
“I had a headache in the morning and in the afternoon I started having chills and fever.
“Then the next day I had fatigue – and the day after that we headed to get the COVID test.”
Mr Walde was confirmed positive within 24 hours.
But just days later, on April 1, his wife said things took a turn for the worst.
“I called the (Alfred) hospital and said I’m bringing him in,” Ms Walde said.
“I told my children to wave goodbye to Daddy — they were standing in front of their doors, waving.
“I drove wearing a mask and I just dropped him at emergency without a proper hug or anything.”
Mr Walde was immediately put into isolation and underwent an X-ray which showed he had “moderate-severe” pneumonia.
Less than four days later, he was suffering respiratory failure and under the watch of ICU doctors.
“I felt I was drowning,” Mr Walde said.
“I could not even move. Not even grab my cup or turn myself in bed because I had to catch my breathe.
“I’ve never felt that feeling before. I figured maybe I’m having trouble breathing — one of the nurses checked my oxygen and realised it was low and that’s when I realised this was happening.
“It was really odd and terrifying to me.
“It was one of the most terrifying moments in my life.
“Life is so short. I literally thought I was going to die.”
At home, Mr Walde’s family were also terrified and began saying their goodbyes over video-call.
Ms Walde said she could “feel the worry” inside their children, Paolo and Francesca.
“He was saying goodbye to me,” Ms Walde said.
“It was really difficult. I was video calling him everyday. Sometimes I would just do the talking because he couldn’t catch his breath.
“The kids would cry, seeing him like that, and we would just pray together.”
But miraculously, and thanks to the tireless work of Mr Walde’s colleagues at The Alfred, he pulled through.
And after two weeks in hospital battling the deadly virus, he was allowed home.
Mr Walde, who had only just began to return to work, said it took about 20 days before he began to feel like himself again.
“I’m feeling better,” he said.
“I started going back to work three weeks ago — light duties, modified half shifts.
“It was hard for me during the first shift, I got really tired.
“And I got really anxious because I had this apprehension that my colleagues or co-workers might be afraid of being next to me.
“I was also a bit worried about going back to this place — but I just stay positive.”
The beloved father, who celebrated his 50th birthday just days after he arrived home, is now enjoying each day with his family.
“My life is a bonus,” he said.
“I’m here now and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
“I enjoy everyday of my life.
“And I just tell my friends I know how it feels to be in prison — because it was a prison.”
Mr Walde is one of the nurses to win the Herald Sun and Crown Melbourne’s Healthcare Hero campaign, which celebrates the work of nurses across the state in these uncertain times.
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