“Mr Sho Fought A Very Hard Battle.”

Shona Ferguson’s sister-in-law, Atosie Pilane’s tribute at her brother in law’s funeral this morning has left everyone feeling emotional. She gave an account from Shona first got diagnosed with Covid-19 right up until his last day on this earth.

“My brother was diagnosed with Covid-19 on the 26th of June. The treatment started at home for about a week. The symptoms worsened and he was admitted to Pinehaven hospital on the 3rd of July where he struggled with low oxygen levels. It got worse a bit and he moved to high care a week later after admission.”

Uncle Sho started feeling better and was discharged from Pinehaven. “My brother being the fighter he was. He seemed to have gotten better, which resulted in him being discharged from Pinehaven hospital. He went home on the 10th of July. That evening, he took a worse turn again and he was readmitted at Pinehaven on the 11th of July. Whereby now his condition just started deteriorating.”

Around this time, Pilane was in Botswana, laying a family member to rest who had also succumbed to Covid. “On the 12th, my sister called me – I was in Botswana and we had just lost another brother to Covid – She called and said, eix Nana, I need you. Me Sho is not well. I arrived from Botswana on the 14th of July, whereby now I started helping my sister with the journey as a caregiver.

“On the 15th, the symptoms were at their worst. The doctors did what they could at Pinehaven, thanks to them. Which now resulted in him being airlifted to Milpark on the 16th of July, where he spent two weeks in ICU. During that two weeks, where we officially leaving at Milpark.”

She adds that Uncle Sho fought a very hard battle. “Mr Sho fought. He fought a very hard battle. And it seems like he had a plan for us as the family to prepare for us in the two weeks because my family turned into having so much faith. We prayed so much. That two weeks was like a turnaround for the family. There would be days where we would get to the hospital and we would see the nurse panicking and shaking. More or less telling us as a family that they did all they could and this is our time to say goodbye.

“Unfortunately, on the 29th around 23h50 after we had spent the day there. The saying we should rush to the hospital, we spent the whole night with him, until the next day on the 30th and around past 7, the doctor came and told us to keep doing what we were doing because he is now stable and looking better. We went back home and freshened up and as soon as we were done we got another call saying come back to the hospital. Unfortunately, when we got there the doctors told us that my brother had just left us.”

In closing, Atoisie thanked Shona for taking her as her own. “Thank you so much for not only taking me as a sister but as a daughter. I love you so much. May your soul rest in peace.”