Husband of woman bedridden with long Covid says 'dying would end her suffering'

01 December 2023 , 19:55

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Husband of woman bedridden with long Covid says 'dying would end her suffering'

The husband of a woman suffering from long Covid says death would end her suffering as she petitions to be allowed to take her own life.

Kelly Louise Smith-May says the little-understood illness has left her in constant agony, bedbound, and unable to care for her children anymore. Now she’s seeking £10,000 to travel to an assisted dying facility in Switzerland to take her own life. Her family have given her their blessing and now her husband Stuart May has come out to say dying would end his wife’s suffering.

The mum-of-four from Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, has been battling Covid since December 2021. Her condition has gradually worsened over time and now she believes her only option is to end her life - after being convinced by someone she met in an online forum.

Kelly before her battle with long Covid

Kelly now is bedbound and unable to care for her children

Stuart May, Kelly’s husband of eight years, has become her full-time carer, quitting his job to do so and allowing him to make the most of what may be their last Christmas together. He claimed she had been let down by doctors and that they had no choice but to sadly pursue ending Kelly’s own life, such was the severity of what she suffered.

Now, the once bubbly and creative Kelly hasn’t left her house since June last year. Stuart told the Mail Online: "The blinds are down, she has no TV, there’s just an electric bed and a commode in there. It’s torture, like being prison. The suffering she is going through, missing out on being a mum and a wife. For me it seems like I’m caring for someone I no longer recognise, she’s not the woman I married. I try to look after her the best I can, keep her as comfortable as I can."

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Kelly got the idea to end her own life after speaking to someone she met online on a long Covid forum. Stuart said they had "talked about it a lot and it’s what Kelly wants". He said he’ll buy a camper van and drive Kelly down - but will need to renew their passports first.

Stuart supports his wife's desire to seek euthanasia

Long Covid symptoms according to NHS:

• extreme tiredness (fatigue)
• feeling short of breath
• loss of smell
• muscle aches
• problems with your memory and concentration ("brain fog")
• chest pain or tightness
• difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• heart palpitations
• dizziness
• pins and needles
• joint pain
• depression and anxiety
• tinnitus, earaches

If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch.

Kieren Williams