Asthma sufferer, 44, sent final tragic text to her sister about being ‘scared’ before she died

An asthma sufferer sent a final tragic text message to her sister saying ‘I’m scared’ shortly before she died of coronavirus.

Lindsay Marshall, 44, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, died on Saturday at The Royal Oldham Hospital, after developing symptoms of Covid-19.

The 44-year-old, who also had a thyroid condition, had self-isolated for one week but on March 22, she started to feel unwell and was taken to Fairfield General Hospital in Bury.

Three days later, she was sedated and transferred to the intensive care unit at The Royal Oldham Hospital.

Just before the sedation, she sent a text message to her sister, Karen – this was the last time they spoke.

Lindsay Marshall, 44, (pictured) from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, died on Saturday at The Royal Oldham Hospital, after developing symptoms of Covid-19

Karen Marshall said: ‘She had been self-isolating at home for a week on antibiotics and on the Friday before she went to hospital, she said she was feeling better.

‘On the Saturday I dropped some shopping off on her doorstep and stood back and we had a chat.

‘On Sunday morning she was struggling to breathe and was taken to Fairfield Hospital.’ On arrival, Lindsay tested positive for coronavirus.

Mother-of-three Karen, 42, said: ‘On Tuesday evening, she said she was going to be sedated and that she was scared.

‘I told her everything was going to be alright and that was the last message she sent.’

Lindsay had worked two jobs, as a senior care coordinator at Go To Doc for seven years and a sales ops analyst at ADI for nine years.

Lindsay Marshall, 44, from Rochdale,  pictured left with father Alan, and sister, Karen

Lindsay Marshall, 44, from Rochdale,  pictured left with father Alan, and sister, Karen

Lindsay, who grew up in Bacup, Lancashire, leaves behind her father, Alan Marshall, her mother, Glenys Marshall, her partner Roger, and her sister Karen.

She will also be missed by Karen’s children – 15-year-old Charlie, 10-year-old Lewis and eight-year-old Georgia.

Her mother Glenys said: ‘Lindsay will be sadly missed and she was well-loved by mum, dad, Karen, Roger, Gareth, Charlie, Lewis and Georgia.’

Karen described the last fortnight as the ‘worst two weeks of her life’ and is struggling to accept that her sister has gone.

However, she has said she wants to celebrate her sister’s life rather than dwell on what killed her.

Karen said: ‘[I] didn’t think in a million years that at the age of 42 I’d have to be writing about my sister no longer being with us, I wouldn’t have even thought about this two weeks ago before this awful virus took over.

The 44-year-old died at the Oldham Royal Hospital (pictured). The family will be arranging a memorial when the lockdown is lifted

The 44-year-old died at the Oldham Royal Hospital (pictured). The family will be arranging a memorial when the lockdown is lifted

‘Anyway I’m not going to dwell on the thing that stole her away, I’m going to celebrate all the amazing people Linzi was lucky enough to have in her life.

‘I have had the loveliest messages and conversations off the loveliest people in what has been the worst two weeks of my life and I want to thank each and every one of you for the beautiful, kind words you have said.

‘Linzi was truly blessed to have you all and we as a family were blessed to have her for her short 44 years, especially her nephews and niece who loved Auntie Linzi to bits.

‘She was a kind, caring sister and auntie who would do anything for anybody..’ Karen is encouraging members of the public to stay at home, in order to avoid other families losing loved ones to the virus.

Karen said: ‘When we all get through this lockdown we will come together and celebrate her life, until then, please all stay safe, I don’t want any of your families to go through this heartache.

‘I need to add that the nurses and doctors on the ICU at Oldham were amazing I couldn’t have asked for more. Thank you to all who work for the NHS.’

Although the nature of the virus often means that families are unable to say goodbye to their loved ones, NHS staff made this possible for Lindsay’s family.

Karen said: ‘She was sedated and she didn’t know she was on her own.

‘Staff kept taking the phone to the bed so we could talk to her. One nurse brushed her hair and plaited it. 

‘They looked after her. On the day they turned the machine off, staff took the phone over and we were each given the chance to say goodbye.’

Lindsay’s family will be arranging a memorial service once lockdown is lifted, where family and friends are invited to celebrate her life.

A GoFundMe page has been set up in Lindsay’s memory to raise money for NHS Charities Together. 

If you would like to donate, visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SomeoneSpecial/LindsayMarshall7

 

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