Mekala Osborne to be home for Christmas after 15 months since leaving on trip of a lifetime

Mekala Osborne is set to finally return home next month, 15 months after she left for the trip of a lifetime where she contracted a deadly bout of pneumonia which left her fighting for her life.

Mekala is set to be home for Christmas this year after 15 months away from home (Pic: Mekala Osborne)

Prestonpans-born Mekala was given just a five per cent chance of survival after the bronchial pneumonia worsened just weeks after she left her home in September 2019 and her family were told to ‘pray she survives’.

Now, she has finally been given a discharge date to return home to her family after spending several months in Edinburgh’s Astley Ainslie.

Writing on her Facebook page, the 23-year-old said: “After a successful home assessment and family meeting, I have a discharge date!! The countdown is on

I cannot bloody wait to be reunited with my friends n family!!!

“The 14th of December is very significant date to me which is why I chose it in particular as my discharge date. It is my Papa’s birthday and is the date I have tattood on my ribs in memory of him. Every time I see these scars, I also see my Papa and I remember the strength he gave me

“I want to say a massive thank you again to all who have supported me all the way, I can’t wait to be out in the community again and seeing everyone! (Covid dependant obv)”

Her recovery has seen her spend two months in a specialist unit in Da Nang, Vietnam and almost a fortnight in an induced coma and was returned to Edinburgh in November 2019.

She then spent a further 117 days in Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary on a trache supporting her breathing until March this year and building up her strength before moving to the Astley Ainslie to work with occupational therapists who have helped her begin to walk again.

Speaking to the East Lothian Courier, Mekala’s mother Yvonne McAulay said: “It is hard to explain. I’m absolutely over the moon but I’m scared because it has been such a long time.

“To get her home for Christmas is the best Christmas present ever. This time last year, Christmas was cancelled; we are absolutely over the moon now.

“She is coming on well but there is a long, long, long way to go.”

The inspirational Scot has regularly updated friends and family on her recovery using social media, her followers have seen her go from strength to strength as she starts to move independently, overcoming every hurdle she is faced with.

Covid restrictions have meant that her interactions with her family have been extremely limited and when she returns home next month it will be the first time she has seen her brother aside from on FaceTime.

When she visited her home with NHS staff last week to check it was suitable for her return home, only her mother was allowed to be in the house.

While Mekala’s journey of recovery is far from over, it is a promising next step for her to be reunited with her loved ones.

Today it emerged that she has also been shortlisted as a finalist for ‘Inspiration in Sport’ at this years Scottish Women in Sport Awards.

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