Pay Attention. Please.
September 18, 2009
I’m feeling rather lucky. I don’t want to make more out of what befell me, but a couple of incidents around the Metro have given me pause.
First, an update. I’m better, thank you very much. I’m still not feeling 100%, and I still have a little cough as I try to get rid of some lingering gunk, but I’m back to work and doing OK.
Two stories we’ve been following highlight the seriousness of contracting the Novel H1N1 Flu Virus.
A Kansas City, North woman who gave birth two weeks ago remains in a medically induced coma, suffering from a condition known as ARDS. I wrote briefly about that in the previous post. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome is a dangerous condition. Mortality rates are high. And it’s a condition that can be brought about by the body’s fight against the H1N1 Flu, among other things.
The woman’s husband tells me, the original test for the virus wasn’t sufficient and had to be done again, but he assures me at least one of his wife’s doctors believes she contracted H1N1 while in the last days of her pregnancy.
Then, word came yesterday of a 24 year old Independence woman who died Wednesday of complications of the Novel H1N1 Flu. According to Independence health officials, she had no pre-existing conditions, no illnesses. She was young and healthy and the H1N1 killed her.
As I mentioned previously, that’s why there’s such concern over this flu and why health experts continue to stress going to a doctor if you begin to show symptoms beyond the normal fever, aches and cough.
They say, if you have:
-rapid or difficulty breathing
-bluish/grey skin (children)
-pain in the chest
-dizziness or confusion
-vomiting and/or diarrhea
…get thee to a doctor.
DanW
