A British grandmother who has been left fighting for her life in the USA for over seven weeks after catching Covid on a dream holiday has had her trip home delayed. Patricia Bunting, 76, remains in hospital in Florida, more than seven weeks after she was taken poorly during a family holiday to Walt Disney World which she’d spent two years saving for.
The anxious family have raised more than £40,000 as part of an effort to get the mum-of-four home to Wigan, Gtr Manchester, and to help cover her medical bills. Daughter Emma Bunting has been trying to get her mother home since November.
On Friday, January 10, ‘relieved’ Emma announced that a medical flight to transfer her mother from Orlando, Florida, to Wigan Infirmary had been scheduled for Tuesday, January 14. However, the family was left ‘shocked’ just days later, after discovering the flight could not go ahead.
On Monday, January 13, Emma revealed that ‘complications’ meant her mother would have to stay in Florida, with no sign of when she can return home. Emma said: “I’m afraid mum isn’t coming home yet due to complications, so she’s in hospital in the US.“I haven’t got an exact date as of yet when she will be returning I’m afraid.It’s a massive blow and shock to all our family as we are eagerly waiting for mum’s safe return.”
Patricia, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and atrial fibrillation (AF), which causes an abnormal and erratic heart rate, has been bed-ridden since she contracted Covid and flu in late November and developed pneumonia. The widow spent two years saving up for the family holiday, but couldn’t afford the £3,000 travel insurance quoted to her for the trip due to her pre-existing conditions.
However, she decided to fly anyway, alongside her children and grandson, fearing that the holiday may be her last ever trip to the US, which she dubbed her ‘happy place’, due to her age and poor health. On Saturday, November 23, Patricia complained to her family of exhaustion before passing out in the bathroom.
She then spent five days in intensive care at Orlando’s Dr P Phillips Hospital. Her sons and grandson had to take their scheduled flight home on November 28 after running out of money.Emma said the British Embassy in Miami had been unable to help, only asking how they planned to pay the medical bills.
The hospital had been able to help with low cost accommodation, but the average healthcare spending per head in the US was $12,555 (£9,800) in 2022, according to analysts.
Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-to-get-my-mum-home-for-life-saving-care? to donate to the fundraising page.