A couple who met at a support group for patients who spent time in Walsall Manor Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) have now got engaged – to the delight of fellow survivors and staff.
Colin Osbourn and Sallyann Wilkinson started to attend the face to face Meet and Mingle group run by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s ICU Rehabilitation Team back in December 2022.
The course of true love took a while to run smoothly to start with as Sallyann was late to the session – but luckily, when she arrived, the only seat left was next to Colin.
“There was definitely something about her the very first time I met her,” said Colin.
Colin was ill and had to miss the second session, missing his chance to see Sallyann again. But third time lucky, both made it along to the summer meeting.
“I went straight to Colin to sit by him as I didn’t have a lot of confidence and remembered him as being friendly last time round,” she said.
This time the pair exchanged Facebook messages and arranged to meet for a coffee where they spent more than three hours talking. They built up a friendship over many months before becoming a couple and are now looking forward to spending the rest of their lives together.
Colin, 54, contracted COVID-19 in the second wave of the virus and was brought into hospital in January 2022. He spent three months in ICU and had a tracheostomy, spending eight months in hospital in total, including his rehabilitation.
Sallyann, 53, had septic shock due to kidney stones and developing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in June 2022, was ventilated on full life support for six days and was in hospital for three weeks.
To propose, Colin drove to meet Sallyann from work and showed her a heart shaped crystal which she had wanted from a shop in Lichfield that was always closed when they visited.
Colin said: “I presented it to her and said it was to show her how much I cared for her. Whilst I was in Lichfield, I also bought her the engagement ring so surprised her and told her this was to show her how much I loved her and proceeded to pop the question.
”To my relief she accepted straight away. And the rest is history so they say!”
Colin added: “We’ve been given a second chance at life and want to make the most of it. We haven’t set a date yet, but we’ll move in properly together soon and start making plans. Our ICU rehab friends will definitely be invited to the big day.”
Xana Marriott, Senior Sister for ICU Rehabilitation announced the couple’s happy news at this month’s Meet and Mingle, which was met with lots of applause and cheers from everyone in attendance.
“This is such a lovely news for Colin and Sallyann and we’re so pleased for them,” she said. “We share achievements and celebrations at our sessions and this tops them all so far. We wish them both a happy, healthy new life together.”