Northern Ireland

Ulster Camogie chair tells of frightening experience of Covid-19

Jennifer Cultra, chair of Ulster Camogie, has told of her "very frightening" experience with Covid-19. Picture by Hugh Russell
Jennifer Cultra, chair of Ulster Camogie, has told of her "very frightening" experience with Covid-19. Picture by Hugh Russell Jennifer Cultra, chair of Ulster Camogie, has told of her "very frightening" experience with Covid-19. Picture by Hugh Russell

THE chair of Ulster Camogie has told of her "frightening" experience of Covid-19 which at one point left her vomiting more than 40 times in a 24-hour period.

Jennifer Cultra (47) works with the ambulance service and believes she contracted the virus from a patient last month.

The Kilclief woman, who has almost completed her training to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), said her symptoms were so bad that at one point she thought she wouldn't be able to breathe.

The mother-of-two was at home when she first developed a cough, a temperature and became flushed.

She was also dizzy and started to experience shortness of breath.

After taking advice from ambulance service colleagues, Ms Cultra attended the Covid-19 A&E at the Ulster Hospital where she was monitored through the night before being allowed home.

The following day, she was tested by the ambulance service for coronavirus.

She said the positive result was not "a shock".

"I was relieved," she said.

"If it had not have been Covid-19 and I was this sick, how was I going to manage Covid-19 if I got that as well?

"The symptoms started to come quickly on top of each other, all while still having shortness of breath.

"All I could do was pant. I couldn't get air in and if you did, that just set off the coughing and the spasms.

"You couldn't just reach over and grab something. You had to prepare your breathing for that.

"I had a cough, fever, shortness of breath and then the vomiting started. I couldn't even take a drink.

"I was sick over 40 times in 24 hours. It was awful. You couldn't breath when you were vomiting. It didn't matter what you did."

She said she also experienced a headache and diahorrea and at one point thought she would have to phone an ambulance when she was unable to breathe.

Nine days after her symptoms first appeared, the Co Down woman said she began to feel a little better on Holy Saturday.

Over the next few days, she managed to climb the stairs in stages and take a short walk though she is still sleeping 11 hours a night as she is "exhausted".

She said while she feels "apprehensive" about going back to work when she is given the all clear, she will return.

"It's surreal," she said.

"We are going into people's houses. All the normal risks are multiplied by Covid because people are afraid to say they have it in case the ambulance won't come.

"The ambulance will always come. It's much easier if you tell us before we get there so we are prepared.

"I am a bit apprehensive. I will go but I understand how very dangerous this virus us. I know there is no guarantee you have immunity."

She also appealed to people to "play their part".

"This is not a trial for most people," she said.

"We are sitting in centrally-heated homes with lots of food and TV and our nearest and dearest and all we are being asked to do is stay home and stay safe.

"This is very serious and people need to understand. I have an elderly father and he has been locked down for five weeks. I would love to see my parents but it's not practical.

"It's about really frail people. People can't seem to get this."