A woman aged 93 recovered from coronavirus after the virus put her in a coma for two months and left her bedridden for eight.
Zahie El Baytam, a Palestinian-American, lives in Lebanon but was visiting her family in the UAE when the pandemic broke out and flights home were halted.
She remained in Abu Dhabi with her daughter and granddaughter when, on April 21, she began complaining of short breath and a high temperature.
Her granddaughter, Nuha Ibreeq, took Ms El Baytam to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where she tested positive for coronavirus.
Ms El Baytam, who has 12 children, was otherwise healthy but considered at high risk because of her age. Her health deteriorated rapidly and a week after being admitted to the hospital she fell into a coma and had to be placed on a ventilator to help her breathing.
“Several times we thought we were going to lose her,” said Ms Ibreeq, who was by her grandmother’s side, along with her mother, whenever possible throughout the ordeal.
She said doctors told the family to prepare for the worst.
“My grandmother means the world to me … The two months waiting for a call saying that she passed away was torture,” Ms Ibreeq said.
After two months in hospital, Ms El Baytam woke from her coma but still required a ventilator.
“We honestly never expected it. Seeing her wake up from a coma was like a miracle.
"I can’t describe how happy we felt,” Ms Ibreeq said.
Her grandmother was moved to Amana Healthcare Medical and Rehabilitation Hospital in Abu Dhabi to help her gradually build up her strength to walk and eat independently again.
Ms El Baytam recovered well enough to return to Beirut last month and is now living a normal life, assisted by her children there, with no lasting symptoms.
“The care we saw first at Cleveland and then at Amana and the health centres here is like nothing we have seen before," Ms Ibreeq said.
"My grandmother was constantly being monitored and at no point was she left on her own.”
While at Amana, Ms El Baytam was able to stay in contact with her family around the world and keep them updated on her progress though video link.
“We were constantly with her virtually and watching her live.
"We have seen healthcare services and hospitals around the world but never anything like we saw here in the UAE,” Ms Ibreeq said.
“She is proof that Covid-19 need have nothing to do with age.
"It doesn’t mean that if you are elderly then you can't survive this disease.”
Doctors said the grandmother’s recovery was "remarkable".
Dr John Engsig, lead doctor at Amana, where Ms El Baytam received intensive rehabilitation therapy for almost six months, said: "We always had hope but her recovery was remarkable given her age.
"It required tremendous team effort – but it wasn't just the team, it was also Ms El Baytam’s willpower and efforts to improve.”
When she was admitted to Amana, Ms El Baytam was bed-bound, barely conscious, breathing with the help of a ventilator and being fed through a gastric tube.
Dr Engsig said her recovery was a testament that being elderly did not mean there was no hope for recovery.
"All the odds were against her, but she impressed the entire team. It is remarkable,” he said.
The family, whose insurance did not cover the treatment, were not charged for any of the healthcare Ms El Baytem received.
They were told the treatment would be completely covered by the government.
