A TRANENT man fighting a rare form of cancer said he “wasn’t going out like that” as he revealed he made a miraculous recovery after almost dying from Covid-19.

Johnnie Meechan, a 44-year-old fundraising father-of-five, was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour, commonly known as NET, in 2016.

Since his diagnosis, Johnnie has blogged about his battle with cancer and his ongoing fundraising efforts on his ‘Johnnie’s Journey’ social media pages.

He told the Courier of his horrific ordeal with Covid after spending a “horrendous” eight days in hospital last month – and urged people to take the virus seriously and get vaccinated.

Johnnie, who is double-vaccinated, said: “At the beginning of September, I tested positive for Covid after my family had the virus one by one.

“It started with my eldest son and I was the last to get it, which was surprising because I have a weak immune system, but it gave me the opportunity to look after my family first.

“I was OK for a few days until I went to bed one night and my wife couldn’t wake me the next morning.

“An ambulance was called as I slipped in and out of consciousness.”

Johnnie was rushed to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and upon arrival was informed by two doctors that his organs were failing.

He was delivered the devastating news that he would “not live to see the next day”.

He said: “The night I arrived, the doctor said to me every organ was failing.

“I wouldn’t see the next morning and if I did it would be a miracle.”

Johnnie also claimed that he did not have a choice about not being assigned resuscitation.

“My family were distraught and were firmly under the impression I was going to die that evening,” he added.

“I wasn’t able to speak to my wife during that time as I could hardly breathe for the first few days.

“You don’t just go in and tell someone: ‘Look, you’re dead so it doesn’t matter what we do, you don’t have a hope in hell.’ I just don’t accept that; my imprint, my life, my story does not go around that mould. I never accepted it, I pushed through.”

Johnnie praised the hard work of medical staff in the hospital who he said were “working against a wave that they have no way of stopping”.

He added: “It feels like they are patching wounds that continue to bleed.

“It’s like a bed and breakfast, except most don’t come out.”

Johnnie was hit with another devastating blow once he left hospital.

While reading over his discharge letter, Johnnie discovered that he had battled severe sepsis during his stay.

Due to his treatment, Johnnie’s pancreas was “pumped full of steroids” and he left hospital needing to inject himself with insulin twice a day.

“I went in mildly diabetic needing only one tablet a day,” he said. “Now, I have to inject insulin twice a day and I check my blood five times a day.”

Johnnie’s friend William Turner recently cycled Mont Ventoux in France and raised £3,500 for Johnnie’s Journey.

He said: “Given Johnnie’s weakened immune system, it was a worry for all of us when Covid got into the house and spread through the family.

“It sounds like Johnnie had to fight back from the brink to beat it and we are all very relieved he did.

“His experience on the Covid ward sounded horrendous and mirrored a lot of what my dad had told me when he was in last year.

“I’m glad he was able to find that extra push to get through it and home again in the circumstances.

“Johnnie often talks of his thoughts that any illness is potentially his last so it always creates massive worry.

“The NHS staff deserve praise for their work in constant difficult circumstances and with limited resources.”

Johnnie added: “I’ve got a young family and my time might come sooner than most, but I am not going out like that, no way.

“I was fighting to get home to my family to see them again, to bring a message to people, one I’ve preached myself many times that Covid is real.

“People will sit and argue that they’ve read this and that, but they don’t know nothing.

“When you’re sitting in a hospital room sucking on a ventilator waiting to die, then you can tell me I don’t want your ventilator, I don’t want your vaccines. Then you’ll know.”

Johnnie has since urged his followers to get vaccinated and understand that the virus is real.

He added: “It’s heartbreaking up there, we sit oblivious for the most part unless directly affected.

“If I wasn’t double vaccinated I wouldn’t be here, it’s that simple.

“Please get vaccinated. It’s not just about your own beliefs, you are risking thousands of lives.

“When it does come knocking, and it will, I’d bet my left leg you’d sell your soul for the protection and ventilators required to live.

“Life gets ripped out your hands without an ounce of warning – it can and will happen to anyone.

“Choose life whilst it’s there.”

Dr Tracey Gillies, medical director, NHS Lothian, said: “Being admitted to hospital at any time can be a distressing and disorientating time for any patient, especially if they are very unwell.

"If Mr Meechan has any concerns or questions, he should contact us directly to discuss further.”