Dying to Live

‘Dying to Live’: The Remarkable True Story of Scotland’s Sickest Survivor of Covid-19

Grant McIntyre & Amanda McIntyre

At the start of 2020, Grant McIntyre was a fit and healthy 49-year-old. The year had started unusually, with reports of a new virus sweeping across the world. At the end of March, life changed suddenly for the McIntyre family as Grant tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to hospital. As the days passed, the situation became progressively worse. Grant’s body went into a cytokine storm and this immune response nearly killed him. He suffered multi-organ failure, a collapsed lung and sepsis, spending fifty days on ECMO life support which no one, not even the doctors, expected him to survive. As his condition deteriorated, death looked almost certain. This is the inspiring story of his journey back to life.

To date, Grant remains the sickest survivor of COVID-19 in Scotland. The book will open your eyes to the personal story of a family who despite all the odds, with the help of the incredible NHS, were victorious in the conquest of Covid-19. The book is dedicated to the families around the world who have not been as fortunate.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

‘Grant and Amanda’s words pick you up from your normal life and transport you into their world. It is a story of hope, of worry, of loss and of gain. A story that needs to be told and read.’
Dr Matt Morgan, intensive care consultant, researcher and author of Critical (2019)

‘This is a true story of courage, dedication and skill. Professor Grant McIntyre, writing clearly and from his own experience, recounts what it is like to suffer the ravaging effects of Covid-19 and to recover. His praise for the compassion and skill of the NHS staff who cared for him is truly well deserved. Read this book. You will be better for having done so.’
Terry Waite CBE

‘If you ever doubted how serious a disease Covid-19 is, please read this book. Grant and Amanda have written a powerful account of his journey from working as a clinician preparing for the pandemic, to becoming ill, spending almost two months on life support, and then the long road to recovery. This is a personal story but it is also a rallying call for continued and expanded  investment in the NHS, public health and disease prevention.’
Professor Linda Bauld, Bruce and John Usher Chair in Public Health, University of Edinburgh