Swine flu - school closing for a week

[Mrs C.]

The children are all home - one of the school nurses drove the last one home to Basingstoke on Saturday , so no-one has had to stay. Meanwhile the whole school is being "deep cleaned"

[kerrensimmonds]

So I heard, Janet. Deep cleaning of door handles, etc. etc. etc. What a nightmare. At least all the children who were left behind on Saturday have gone home and presumably are now on the mend. Not like Lonelymum's little girl. I wonder if she is the only one to be so seriously affected? Thoughts, prayers, and crossed fingers for her and her mum at this time, also for Momto2 who has been absent from the Forum since she said that her young daughter might have been developing symptoms. Ghastly, scary, and nothing like the flu epidemics which OB members of this Forum are recalling, when people (at Horsham and Hertford) were segregated into different Houses as 'overflow' from the Sicker or the Infirmary. I don't recall anyone having to go to hospital............

[Momto2]

I'm here Kerren with all children on the mend thank goodness and thank you for caring ... this is a lovely forum!

I'm so sorry to hear about Lonelymom's little L and will send prayers and positive thoughts again tonight for the whole family. I haven't heard of anyone else who has been as badly affected from the school - poor little soul.
Thanks for keeping us updated Barnes Mum.

xx

[kerrensimmonds]

Sigh of relief, Momto2! And renewed prayers for Lonelymum's little one...

[Barnes Mum]

Glad to hear that your's are all ok momto2. I think we've escaped it in our household thankfully, which is quite amazing as two of my daughter's closest friends have had it as has her room mate, and I've been spending the last two weeks looking after poorly girls in my boarding house. I don't think you truly appreciate quite how serious something is until it hits so close to home.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Prayers have been taking place, from us, for all those affected -- and particularly Parents, such as Lonelymom.
Reading the last Post, we have added Barnes Mum -- acting in Loco Parentis -- hope you stay well !

[Mid A 15]

Any news?

[lonelymom]

Hi. I've just popped home to have a quick bath and pick up some more clothes and bits and pieces (something my husband can't be trusted to get just right) and have left Louise in the capable hands of her dad for a couple of hours.

Thanks so much for all your messages, I must confess they have made me cry again, which is something I've been doing quite a lot lately. Thanks also Ann, Frances and Maria for your cards, I'll take them back to the hospital with me in a little while and put them with Louise's. I really, really do appreciate all your thoughts and prayers, and it is helping to know that so many people are thinking of her.

Well there isn't much change this morning. The doctors have taken more bloods to check to see whether they are still showing such a high infection reading. They are also waiting for the results of her swine flu swab to clarify that it is actually swine flu that started all this, rather than something else which they will then need to identify. And they are still awaiting urine tests results after a high level of blood and protein has been detected. In the meantime she is still receiving iv and oral antibiotics, iv and oral painkillers, tamiflu, glucose and oxygen, so I think they've got everything covered. She's on a blood pressure and saturation monitor and as long as she stays still the levels are steady, unfortunately, as BarnesMum says, she is needing the oxygen all of the time, and shows respiratory distress if it is removed. She now has water being sprayed through the oxygen too (don't ask me the technical terms, not a clue!) to try to moisten the gunk in her lungs. I did have a big wobble yesterday when one of the doctors suggested I look at her chest xray - it was shockingly white all over, which apparently shows how severe her pneumonia is. The doctor was lovely though, he reassured me that they are doing everything they need to, and she will be okay. There has been talk of moving her somewhere so that she can have a tube put directly into her lungs to give her body a rest, depending on whether her blood oxygen levels get better. This has been mentioned a few times over the last 48 hours, and is something they are still considering.

The doctors are also hoping to get the physios up to try to help her sit up to help her breathe a bit easier. Unfortunately, having not eaten much at all for a week now she is losing strength fast and can no longer support her own weight or even hold a cup properly. The glucose is helping her stay alert for short periods though, and there was a small glimpse of her usual cheekiness this morning - the doctor took more bloods, then as he went he said goodbye to her and she said 'goodbye, thanks for taking half my blood'. It made all of us smile!! Then she went to sleep again.

I probably won't come home now for another few days, but I'll let BarnesMum know any developments so she can let you know. Thanks again for all your messages, very, very much appreciated by us all xxx

[anniexf]

Great to have you back, M., even if it's only briefly. It sounds as if everything possible is being done for L. & I'm sure you'll soon see a big improvement in her condition. Hope you had a lovely relaxing bath!!!

[Katharine]

I've been checking hourly today for updates - so glad to read one now and particularly that all will be well - in time. Love and prayers.

[kerrensimmonds]

Lonelymom - what you describe sounds so like the illness I had when I was 8. Years later my mum told me how frightening it had been for her (I was in hospital for a month), so I feel both for you and for your daughter. But medicine has moved on hugely in the intervening 53 years so I am sure that she will turn the corner very soon - and thank goodness she is in the right hands.

[J.R.]

It sounds like they are using a nebuliser to soften the gunk.

Our thoughts are with you.

How many staff at CH have been affected, Janet ?

[Mrs C.]

6 or so that i know of defintely as of the weekend - probably others, in some form or other of the illness, not to mention those whose children have succumbed .
Some pupils have gone down with it since going home,so it was definitley the right decision

Having said that, I think a lot are relieved to have the extra time to catch up- everyone was worn out , and tiredness doesn`t exactly help the immune system.

We`ve been fine - although I went and sprained my ankle this morning!

[huggermugger]

Oh goodness - not been able to get online for a few days due to internet problems and such a shock. Once again have PM'd you lonelymom. Can only echo what has already been said here. And big thanks to BarnesMum for keeping us updated in the meantime.

[ReallyMissingHer]

just logging on to see how everyone is, glad most are on the mend.

Hope Louise starts to show improvement soon and I'm glad the drs are being very thorough to get to the bottom of it all.