A CO Down couple, married for 46 years, are back at home after both battled Covid-19 in hospital.
Ronnie and Ethne Douglas were back in each other's arms after spending weeks fighting coronavirus at the Ulster Hospital.
Mrs Douglas, who is 66, fell ill on January 30 while her husband, who is 74, became unwell a few days later.
After being looked after at home, when both their conditions deteriorated on February 5, the couple were taken to hospital by separate ambulances.
Both were admitted to ward four, in beds opposite one another, and put on CPAP machines, which deliver oxygenated air into the your airways through a mask and tube.
Both then developed Covid pneumonia and two days later, on February 7, Mr Douglas, who has five daughters with his wife, was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Speaking to the Irish News, Karen Watts said her family felt "completely helpless" having both their parents in hospital fighting Covid-19.
"It is devastating because you think the worst and because they are older and you hear so many stories, " she said.
"It was the possibility of losing them both together. It was awful, even one. One would be completely lost without the other. I see that now."
However, while in ICU, Mr Douglas's condition improved and a few days later, he was readmitted to ward four where he was near his wife.
In the meantime however Mrs Douglas's condition had deteriorated and family believe it was because she had "lost hope" that her husband had been taken to ICU.
However, after a few days of her husband being back on the ward, her condition too began to improve.
On Saturday, February 13, Mr Douglas was discharged from hospital and returned to the couple's home in Ballynahinch to be followed on February 21 by his wife.
Mrs Watts said she and her family was relieved and grateful to have them home and paid tribute to the staff at the Ulster Hospital who had cared for them.
"They (the staff) are not just doing the basics, they are going above and beyond what they need to do. They are absolutely brilliant. Even the things dad tells us about what happened within the ward."
Mrs Watts, a science teacher, who also lives in Ballynahinch, said her family were so thankful to the staff that they raised £1,000 for them.
When the staff were asked what they wanted the family to buy for them with the money, they requested new watches for their uniforms and so, 150 were purchased with the funds.
"It was to say thank you for the work they were doing," she said.
"They were going the extra mile for them and going the extra mile for us because they were keeping us informed on how they were doing and they don't get enough recognition for what they are doing."
The mother-of-two said her parents' recovery had been "amazing".
"It just shows how quickly things can swing either way," she said.
"Mum had lost hope when she heard dad had gone to ICU.
"Then he came back and the nurses remarked she was like a new woman. They could see an improvement. The two of them perked up from that point."
She added: "It is a real a miracle they both got through it and got through it so quickly.
"They do genuinely spur each other along. Now they are at home together they will help each other's recovery because they have a long road in front of them.
"We have a lot to be thankful for, times two, for mum and dad."
