FINDING STRENGTH AFTER LOSS

After her husband died suddenly, Claire Dutton, 51, had to learn how to live again

- HELEN RENSHAW

On 22 December last year, my healthy husband of nearly 20 years was rushed into hospital with COVID-19 and flu. He rallied and Christmas Day was spent at his hospital bed. Jason loved Christmas – it was his favourite time of year. But his body was having a hard time fighting the infections and, days later, we were given shocking news. Blood tests revealed that Jason had a fast-progressing acute myeloid leukaemia.

We cried together, and Jason told me that if the worst were to happen, he wanted me to be happy, to live life to the full and meet someone new.

When he was moved to another hospital for treatment, near our home in Birmingham, he was optimistic, but three days later, the infections were overtaking his body and he was placed in a coma. I was told that he wouldn’t survive, but he lived for two weeks. During that time, the critical care team did everything they could.

Jason and I never had children, but we did have large, loving families and a circle of close friends. We were all there to say goodbye. We told him we loved him and played his favourite music – ELO’s Mr Blue Sky, Elvis singing If I Can Dream, and Dido’s Thank You, which was our wedding song. His life support was turned off at 3.10am on 23 January 2023. He was 52.