‘Heartbreaking’ replace for British grandma, 76, caught in a Florida hospital after catching Covid and flu throughout journey of a lifetime to Disney with out medical health insurance
The family of a British grandmother who has been stranded in a Florida hospital for five weeks after catching Covid and developing pneumonia during a trip of a lifetime have issued an update on her condition.
Patricia Bunting, 76, from Wigan, had been on a three week holiday with her grandson and two sons to Disney World when she fell ill and was hospitalised at Orland’s Dr P. Phillips Hospital last month.
Her family started a GoFundMe earlier this month to raise enough money to bring her back home to the UK in an air ambulance so that she can continue to receive adequate care and be surrounded by her loved ones.
This week Patricia’s daughter Emma issued a devastating update on her mother’s condition as she remains stranded in the US.
‘Just wanted to update you all on mum’s progress and thank you all so so much for all your kindness, support and generosity’, she wrote on the fundraising website.
‘My mum is still suffering from severe swelling on her hands, feet and legs.’
Emma also explained that her mother’s haemoglobin and platelet levels ‘still remain on the low side’, has ‘fluctuating blood pressure’ and remains on constant flow oxygen.
‘She still isn’t yet mobile after being in hospital for five weeks’, Emma added.
British grandmother Patricia Bunting has been stranded in Florida for five weeks after falling ill with Covid and developing pneumonia
Patricia Bunting, 76, from Wigan, had been on a three week holiday with her grandson and two sons to Disney World when she fell ill and was hospitalised at Orland’s Dr P. Phillips Hospital last month
Patricia’s daughter had previously said that the cost of a dedicated air ambulance to bring her mother back home was £130,000.
In her latest update Emma said that the family was still working with the hospital and the independent air ambulance companies to ‘determine the best options for mum to get home safely’.
‘We as a family are desperate to get mum home but she needs to be able to make the long journey home safely.
‘It’s heartbreaking that she missed Christmas at home with all her loving family and also now new year.’
So far, the family has raised £38,368 and has received for than 1,600 donations altogether.
Patricia is a former cleaner and factory worker. According to her family she had considered getting health insurance for the trip, but when it was quoted at around £3,000 she decided to go without it.
Five days before she was scheduled to fly home on November 3, Patricia passed out in her hotel bathroom and was rushed to hospital.
She spent five days in intensive care with Covid, before contracting pneumonia.
Patricia also suffered a gastrointestinal bleed and blood clots in her legs.
Patricia’s family started a GoFundMe earlier this month to raise enough money to bring her back home to the UK in an air ambulance
According to Patricia’s family, the cost of an air ambulance to transport her back to the UK is around £130,000
According to her family she had considered getting health insurance for the trip, but when it was quoted at around £3,000 she decided to go without it
So far, the family has raised £38,368 and has received for than 1,600 donations altogether
In a critical condition and too ill to leave hospital, her medical bills are becoming ever more insurmountable by the day.
Patricia receives a state pension and since her bus driver husband Joseph died of a heart attack in 1993, she also receives a small widow’s pension.
Her family said that she was determined to have one final foreign holiday with her grandson William, who is 23 and has autism.
The pair were joined on their three-week trip to Walt Disney World in Florida by her unemployed sons Paul, 40, (Emma’s twin brother) and David, 42, who both live with their mother in Wigan.
Earlier this month a spokesman for Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital described Mrs Bunting’s condition as ‘serious’.
In a statement, the hospital added: ‘Although we can’t comment on specific patient cases, Orlando Health has a longstanding generous financial assistance program for patients who have limited or no resources to pay for medically necessary services rendered at an Orlando Health facility.
‘Orlando is a popular international tourist destination and we encourage all visitors to consider purchasing travel insurance for unexpected, emergency medical expenses.’
The UK Foreign Office advises that ‘If you do not have appropriate insurance before you travel, you could be liable for emergency expenses, including medical treatment, which may cost thousands of pounds.’
