My wife is a lovely lady.
She loves me so much.
Her cooking is really delicious and very humble.
Definitely he is the one for me.
My lovely husband, yes
15th of June this month, 35 years of our wedding anniversary so praise the Lord!
35 years of marriage isn't the only reason Tofiga and Lilian Su'a are celebrating this
week.
The pair have now recovered from Covid-19, an ordeal that took more than 2 months.
On the 26th of May, Lilian was New Zealand's very last Covid-19 patient to be discharged
from hospital
'And there is just one person still in hospital and that person does not require intensive
care treatment.
Tofiga first felt unwell just 2 days before the nationwide Alert level 4 lockdown began.
I got sick on the 23rd of March and it was just like a normal flu and I thought it wasn't
that serious
He attempted to get tested at the Mangere clinic, but was rejected because he didn't
have a sore throat and wasn't coughing.
It took a two further attempts to get tested
By that time she was also affected with the Coronavirus and i told the doctor there after
taking my test - whether she can test as well and he said no.
Just wait to get my results.
By the time Tofiga's test results came back confirming he had Coronavirus, his wife Lilian's
condition was serious.
That's where I feel the fever is coming out and feel different and I was just telling
Tofiga and it wasn't just the fever it was a cough and then it was getting worse and
then I just told him, just take me straight away to Middlemore.
No other place, but just take me straight to the hospital.
Because of strict Covid-19 rules, security could not allow Tofiga to enter into the hospital
with his wife.
So Lillian went in on her own.
There are people, security cars there waiting for me and said no, you can't enter the hospital.
You can go home now.
So it was so sad for me, you know.
And also very worried because she went inside by herself.
So I stayed in the carpark for about 40 minutes confused and worried and didn't know what
to do.
But thank God I just settled down because our faith in God, sorry.
They let me sit down on the chair because I was feeling weak and from there and they
said to me what's going on?
What's happening?
And I was just explain everything I feel at that time and from there they took me straight
away to probably the ICU.
And I call her once, talk to her and she said she was ok and the next time I heard from
her she said "please, I'm going to the ICU and pray for me.
Pray for my breathing.
yeah, that was the last time that I heard from her.
I didn't say goodbye and that's the hardest thing about because I just dropped her in
front and said "I'll just park the car and then come and see you but I didn't know that
was the last time to see her and I didn't even say goodbye to her.
So it was hard.
Ministry of Health staff haven't confirmed where exactly Tofiga contracted the virus,
but his family believe it's likely that he got it at Auckland's International airport
where he works.
By the time his wife went into hospital, the entire country was in lockdown and his symptoms
had gone.
He was left home alone, worrying about his wife and not knowing when he would see her
next.
They both have a strong Christian faith and Tofiga says it's the only thing he could lean
on during that time to stay hopeful.
So, I prayed to God to help me and that's how I receive peace afterwards and then I
came home.
Just facing three walls wasn't an easy thing to do, thinking about her at the hospital,
things we used to do when we're at home because there's nobody else.
Lilian's condition was serious and she was sedated for an entire month.
At one point doctors didn't expect her to survive.
Unable to breathe on her own and after the maximum permitted time on a ventilator, doctors
performed surgery to connect breathing apparatus to Lilian's trachea in a last ditch attempt
to help her breathing.
During that time their daughter Lily, recently returned from Australia and in quarantine,
started a prayer chain, gathering family members and friends around the world to pray for her
mother through daily zoom calls.
Because a lot of people they pray, they stand together and it was amazing.
People that they don't know God, they all come together and pray and it's just like
a new thing in my family.
Not only my side but his side.
They all come together and pray.
After four weeks in ICU - Lilian was taken off the sedatives, and began breathing on
her own for the first time in weeks.
Her first words?
It was just "Praise God"
I didn't know how many days that I was sleep but it was just that thing that's coming from
my mouth was "thank you for redeeming me Lord."
She was moved to the Covid-19 recovery ward and Tofiga was finally able to see his wife
again - the first time since he dropped her at the hospital more than a month before.
The first time I met her face to face, after all this time.
When she was at the rehab clinic and I was surprised to get a call - "Yeah you can visit
your wife now" so I was so happy.
I hurry up and yeah…
Did you rush out the door?
Absolutely!
It was the longest the pair had ever been separated.
They're used to doing everything together.
Tofiga describes their sweet reunion.
I was very careful about the metres, how many metres of the thingy so I didn't rush.
I took my time because there were nurses there so they blocked my way so I finally got to
her and yeah.
It was a good feeling.
Holding her, hugging her again and kissing her.
Yeah, it was quite a relief for me.
We were just talking and joking "You've been gone so long" you know, I've been waiting
for you.
And then "Oh?
How long?" and I said "You were asleep for nearly a month or so" - and she said "Oh no!
No!"
I said "Yes, yes you sleep for about a month" and she said "All this time?" and I said "Yes"
and she said "I thought it was only sleeping for a few hours!" and I said "No, no you slept
for about a month."
On the 4th of May, Lilian finally tested negative for Covid-19 but she would spend the next
three weeks recovering in hospital.
And there were many things she was looking forward to once she was able to leave hospital.
Oh straight away when we got out I said "Oh let's go to Nandos"
The pair both say the experience has strengthened their marriage.
There's that saying, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' We don't say anything against
the whole process that we went through, the hardship.
Because the result was quite beneficial and it brings us back together in a stronger way
and our love for each other, wife and husband is getting stronger.
Doctors say it will be another 6 months until Lilian fully recovers from the impacts the
virus has had on her body.
She's currently undergoing occupational therapy to regain the movement in her hands and arms.
But for now, both her and Tofiga are full of praise - for God and the health staff who
took care of Lilian.
It's just like angels that was around me.
The whole time that I was in hospital.
It was so amazing, their work.
And I thank God for them, for their knowledge and their wisdom.
It's amazing of their job and amazing of their care and their support.
So I just say may the Lord bless them all in different ways and give them peace and
joy.
More than 2 months on since Tofiga first felt symptoms of the Coronavirus, these grandparents
have only got one thing on their mind when the border finally opens..
Just to see my grandaughter.
Yeah, I think that's the main thing is to see our grandaughter.