A pregnant beautician who contracted coronavirus has shared a video detailing the heartbreaking reality of being separated from her husband and tearful children for the past three weeks.
Karen Mannering, 39, from Herne Bay, Kent, captured a video of herself after doctors gave her the news on Saturday that she was allowed to go home.
The mother-of-three admitted she couldn’t wait to see her family’s faces, and became emotional when recounting the moments she had to read her daughter bedtime stories over Facetime.
Karen, who is seven months pregnant with a baby boy, said: ‘I have just got the news that I am going home to my babies and my husband.
Mother-of-three Karen Mannering, 39, shared the update on her discharge from hospital on Facebook. Fighting back her tears, Karen said: ‘I have been so ill since the 12th of March and I get to go home
Fighting back her tears, Karen continued: ‘I have been so ill since the 12th of March and I get to go home.
‘I am back in isolation for another week but I don’t care. I get to go home, see my babies faces – I can’t touch them or kiss them still – but I get to go home.
‘I am so excited, I have got a long road ahead of me, still to recover, but I am coming home.’
She added: ‘Thank you for all your well wishes, believe it or not every one of them mattered, every one of them counts, and it really did help me through when I had given up – thank you.’
In another emotional post on Facebook, Karen shared a screenshot of her FaceTime call with her tearful daughter.
She wrote: ‘When your six-year-old daughter FaceTimes you all day because we can’t see each other.
Ms Mannering, pictured, who works at Hot-tees Tanning and Beauty Salon, said she was ‘so excited’ to return home
‘She’s crying as she wants me to tuck her into bed but I’m in isolation, she’s counting down the hours.’
The post showed a screenshot of the phone call between Karen and her daughter, who was seen in floods of tears on Sunday at being unable to kiss her mother goodnight.
The expectant mother continued: ‘She read me a bed time story over FaceTime bless her.’
‘I have to remember I’m one of the lucky ones who gets to come home to my family, it was too close the other way.’
In another emotional post on Facebook, Karen shared a screenshot of her FaceTime call with her tearful six-year-old daughter
‘Thank you everyone who sent me get well messages in my darkest hours it really did help.’
Well-wishes, who have followed Karen’s journey commented on her post, which was liked more than 32,000 times.
Donna Marie Chambers wrote: ‘So, so happy to hear your’e going home. I wish you a good recovery so you can give those babies of yours a massive hug and kisses.
‘Seeing this news brought a tear of happiness and hope. God bless you and your family.’
Lisa Williams added: ‘I am so , so happy for you hunny. You’re a fighter and I wish you and your family all the love.’
Well-wishes, who have followed Karen’s journey commented on her post, which was liked more than 32,000 times
In an update to her supporters Karen added how her husband Steve has been ‘run ragged’ and has slept on the sofa for two-and-a-half weeks while she isolates in their bedroom.
She wrote: ‘Thank you everyone for you kind messages! I’m on day four of home isolation now, only another three days to go and I can leave my bedroom.
‘My poor husband has been ran ragged for two-and-a-half weeks and sleeping on the sofa.
‘I feel incredibly lucky to still be here and hear my kiddies outside my door. My six-year-old literally just sits outside my door or FaceTimes me the entire day.’
It comes after Karen posted an emotional clip warning people not to go outside and urged them to adhere to social distancing rules.
Karen Mannering, pictured, 39, captured a video of herself making an emotional plea to others to stay at home. The beautician, who is 26 weeks pregnant, was diagnosed with coronavirus
Footage showed the mother-of-three warning people not to leave their homes: ‘I am telling you now, if you are going to meet your friends for a stupid beer or for a walk because the weather is nice, you are going to take this home and you are going to kill someone.
‘One of your family members. Just stop going out, listen to Boris and just don’t go out, it’s not worth it.’
She added: ‘I have just been told I have COVID-19, and I have been ill for two weeks.
‘I have been in hospital now since Saturday and today is Wednesday. I have pneumonia in both lungs and I am fighting for me and my baby.
‘It is not worth going out. I have three kids at home and a husband that I can’t see.’
It was believed Karen was being treated at Margate’s QEQM Hospital, according to Kent Live.