Families Fighting Flu

Marlene Carmack (Hamilton, OH)

My daughter, Christina Bailey, age 27 was living away from home when she contracted the H1N1. Her father and step-mother did not understand the signs and thought she just had a cold. One night she passed out on the couch and her sister and seven year old daughter could not wake her up so, they called her father and when they got home she was already turning blue and unresponsive. Christina was taken by ambulance to the Fort Hamilton Hospital and later had to be transferred to University Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. She laid from September 2009 to April 2010. Months slowly went by and at one time we thought she was going to make it but, after the hospital had done everything they could she eventually developed double pneumonia and succumbed to this horrible disease on April 30,2010. It is so unfortunate that people do not learn the signs. Influenza throughout centuries has taken many precious lives for it does not discriminate. I lost my beautiful daughter to the lack of knowledge and I continue to pray that with the forms of communication we have today that people just listen. That is the most promising tool. Listen and then learn. BE A FRIEND ~ SAVE A LIFE.

Kathy Lander (Republic, MO)

On 3/31/10 my 34-year-old son had H1N1. He was in the hospital for 2 months and a coma for 4.5 weeks. He now has to have a heart transplant as the flu settled in his heart.

Paula Blance (Ballston Lake, NY)

I just heard Mrs. Moise speak at a conference today. Such a sad and moving story. It made me feel blessed regarding my situation with my own two boys. I was never encouraged to give my older son a flu shot by his pediatrician. My younger son started getting his annual shots at the age of two after being diagnosed with asthma – thus being high risk. I always received my annual vaccine because I’m a RN but my husband never felt it was necessary. Then came the fall of 2009 – and of course, the high risk boy comes down with H1N1 in early September before we could even schedule vaccination appointments. Thankfully he recovered – but the experience scared us into 100% full family compliance from now on! Never again will we take such a risk. As a nurse, I now use my own experience as a source of patient education.

Emma Taylor (Milton Keynes)

This site is great!

Tammie Hutchison (Bristow, VA)

To all of the parent’s and siblings of lost loved ones, I can’t even begin to imagine the grief that you all must be experiencing. Unfortunately, there are far too many young lives lost to this illness. I firmly believe that the public should be kept aware and informed by all forms of government and public safety officials. Like me, many parents begin to let their guard down when the media slacks on coverage and none of us truly realize the wide spectrum of people this effects. I am deeply sorry to everyone who has lost a loved one and you each have my prayers. To those of you who feel guilt over the circumstances in which these events occurred, I have no doubt that your lost loved one would never want you to carry such a heavy burden, they loved you very much and I am certain they know how much you loved them. Even now.

Aunt Julie Holt (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)

Joey- I miss you everyday and cant wait to meet with you again someday. You are always in my heart, uncle danny misses you so much too! I will be getting your portrait to honor you for the rest of my life. I love you Forever and always <3 ~Aunt Julie

Cora (McLean, VA)

We never got to meet Jessica Stein, but she and her family will always be in our prayers. The Steins are truly an inspirational family. Thank you for all that you do for others.