This was the case for Malteser Aeromedical in late August, when a call was received in the operations centre stating that a German citizen in Denmark was desperate to get back to Germany.
A 46-year-old woman with a family with two toddlers and a demanding position in a leading corporation in Munich had contracted Covid-19 in early 2022 and subsequently developed grave symptoms of a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
ME/CFS is a widely complex, debilitating, long-term medical condition which – to this date – has limited research and treatment options. Patients affected by ME/CFS might experience symptoms such as dizziness, feeling extremely tired and exhausted all the time, and having trouble sleeping, concentrating and performing the simplest tasks, which leads to many being unable to function in their lives.
Following her acute onset of symptoms and being restricted to bed rest as well as being incapable of performing even the lightest daily tasks, the patient was admitted into an ME/CFS study group at a renowned German hospital with access to the very rare treatment with apheresis. Fortunately, when additionally stabilised with pacing, the patient’s condition improved and she was able to return to a somewhat normal life.
Convinced that a stressful daily routine wouldn’t be beneficial to her health, the patient decided to spend some time in a vacation home in Denmark to avoid any triggering situations and recover better – a self-imposed ‘rehabilitation’.
Whilst the first few days seemed to confirm her intentions of bettering her overall health, the patient suddenly fell gravely ill again, once again being bedridden, having difficulty swallowing, and developing severe hypersensitivity to light and noise. Despite the daily care of relatives, the patient’s condition worsened by the hour, and, with no ability to receive any medical support from local doctors and hospitals beyond treating acute symptoms, the patient desperately reached out to her insurance company for support to return to Germany. Subsequently, Malteser Aeromedical was contacted and tasked to perform this highly complex mission.
It became clear that anything involving a normal medical repatriation by air ambulance – starting with loud noises due to turbines, transportation in a ground ambulance, light exposure, communicating with the medical staff, as well as moving the patient into the aircraft – would cause almost unbearable pain for the patient. So, how to transport such a patient thousands of kilometres back to her home?
