Good afternoon to you all. The message below comes from a friend of the family who’s child just had a close call with H1N1. You need to take 5 minutes to read this and forward this as it contains important information pertaining to symptoms and what authorities are not telling us.
This is obviously a problem far beyond Toronto and the GTA but I know of a few schools with more than a dozen kids at home with serious flu symptoms, while many more children are attending school with milder symptoms. If this were happening in the fall/winter, I would be a lot less concerned. However, this is June so I have to believe that H1N1 is the culprit
Finally I give the mom credit for sugar coating the message and not letting her true emotions come out … but I will take the liberty of going a step further:
IF YOU OR YOUR CHILDREN ARE EXPERIENCING FLU LIKE SYMPTOMS IN JUNE, WAKE UP AND QUARANTINE YOURSELF. My infant daughter is showing the symptoms below and will have to go back to the doctor tomorrow to be tested. As such, I’m going to work from home for the next 2 days. That includes missing the PROFIT 100 ceremony this evening. This could have prevented if others who were well aware of their sick children exercised the same common sense. Wake up people.
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June, 14th, 2009
Markham, Ontario
Hello Everyone,
As most of you already now, our daughter just recently was diagnosed with complications (double pneumonia) that developed from the H1N1 influenza virus. She had to stay in the hospital a full week, with the majority of the time showing little improvement and having a hard time breathing. She needed to be on oxygen, antibiotics, and IV in the isolation wing of the hospital. She was constantly on motrin and tylenol to try to keep her high 40/41 degree fever down (sometimes nurses gave tylenol, then motrin just 1 hour later, when the fever did not budge!) All nurses and doctors had to wear goggles, scrubs, gloves, and masks everytime that they came into the room, trying to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus.
She had such a difficult time breathing, and her heart rate so elevated, that my husband and I were thinking the worst for the first few days, until she finally began to improve. We would never want ANYONE, child or adult to have to go
through what our daughter went through.
Looking back, there are some things that we could have done to perhaps have helped our daughter, knowing what we know now. We want to pass this information onto you. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN,
that way we can all help in preventing a similar situation to happen to your child, you, or others in your community!
THE SYMPTOMS
First off, the SYMPTOMS. For our daughter, The virus presented itself through a cough that did not bother her, and since she is mildly asthmatic,we just thought it was mild asthma. She went to school, for a couple of days with it. Did not really think much of it, but found it strange to be showing up in June, since her asthma usually shows in fall to early spring (cold season). End of the second day, we picked her up from school and she complained of having had a headache all day. This was strange–my daughter is 7 and she has never complained of a headache.
That night the high fever began, and motrin barely brought it down, she coughed all night, and did not sleep a wink due to the incessant cough. This was her reaction. My bout with H1N1, which began on the second day
that she was in the hospital, began as a mild cough and runny nose. Honestly felt like a mild cold.
Here is the official list of symptoms from one of many sites on this topics:
cough,
sore throat,
headache,
high fever,
body aches,
runny nose,
chills,
fatigue,
eye pain,
shortness of breath,
and lack of appetite.
Some people have also reported nausea,
vomiting,
and diarrhea
Now, you may only start with one of these symptoms. You may not have all of these symptoms once it runs its course.
HOW IT STARTS
The tricky part is how it starts. FOR MY DAUGHTER AND I IT STARTED AS A MILD COUGH. SHE WENT TO SCHOOL WITH IT AND SHE WAS CONTAGIOUS DURING THIS TIME! If I had known that H1N1 was in the school, we would NEVER had sent her to school with the cough. But it WAS in her school, that is where she caught it. KEEP YOUR KIDS HOME THE MINUTE THAT THEY HAVE ANY SYMPTOM, AND PARENTS STAY HOME IF YOU SHOW ANY. Do not have grandparents care for the sick, do not have others involved if you can. Stay home from work and care for the sick yourself. You would not want to spread the virus to others. Wear a mask (easiest if it is an adult that is sick). Coughing into the mask helps prevent the spray of the cough into the air. You will prevent the spread of this virus, if in fact you have it. Don’t go out in public, have a good friend of neighbour get groceries, etc. for you. Remember my
daughter–you don’t want your child to get that bad.
SOME CHILDREN/ADULTS WILL JUST HAVE A FLU, SOME WILL HAVE COMPLICATIONS. If you go to work or
your child goes to school, who are you giving it to, and how will they react to this flu?–They could be in the hospital like our daughter. NO PERSON SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.
WHAT THEY ARE NOT TELLING US
This is what we found out about what they are not telling us… Family doctors can no longer test for H1N1 in their patients UNLESS they are having complications.
Hospitals will NOT test you for H1N1 unless you have complications.
This means that all those confirmed cases of H1N1 in Canada, those that have happened in the last 2 weeks, are people that have gone to hospitals with complications and have most likely been admitted. The rest of us that have
it, like me for example, know we have had it through association, but have not been offically tested. THOSE NUMBERS THEREFORE ARE NOT ACCURATE.
THE TAMIFLU CATCH
You cannot get Tamiflu (the antiviral medication) unless you are a confirmed case. BUT HERE IS THE CATCH–it takes about 4 days to get the results back to find out if you in fact have H1N1, BUT TAMIFLU WORKS BEST IF YOU START TAKING IT WITHIN THE FIRST 2 DAYS OF HAVING THE FLU. Ridiculous! My daughter never took this med, as she found out 5 days after the start of her flu, so it was deemed useless at this point. I myself did take it, and think it helped somewhat. Tamilfu only shortens the length of the flu, and lessens the symptoms somewhat. It does not cure” the flu. And trying to get it was not an easy task for myself. We had to get forceful with the clinic doctor and explain our family situation (since I did not have my daughter’s H1N1 confirmation at that time, although we had confirmation of an influenza type A, the doctor did NOT want to give me the prescription). Remember, they want H1N1 confirmation before they give the Tamiflu prescription. Doctors have been told NOT to prescribe unless confirmed.
SCHOOLS NO LONGER ADVISING PARENTS OF CONFIRMED CASES
Schools are no longer telling parents and students if there is a confirmed case of H1N1 in their schools. WE WERE NOT TOLD ABOUT OUR DAUGHTER’S SCHOOL, but apparently lots of kids have been absent with flu-like symptoms
for weeks prior to our daughter’s ordeal.
PUBLIC HEALTH NO LONGER INFORMING SCHOOLS
PUBLIC HEALTH NO LONGER INFORMS SCHOOLS since this flu is so virulent, they can no longer keep tabs! Our child’s pediatrician said that H1N1 IS CURRENTLY MORE PREVALENT THAN THE COMMON COLD OR THE COMMON FLU (June 2009). If you have these symptoms, in other words, you probably have it.
SO WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN FOR YOU? This is not meant to make you panic. Rather, we hope that it just makes you more aware, for your sake, but more importantly for everyone in your community’s sake! If we are aware, and
stay home AT THE FIRST SIGN OF ILLNESS or ANY OF THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS, and STAY HOME UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD AT LEAST 2 DAYS WITHOUT SYMPTOMS, we can all do our part in helping prevent the spread of H1N1. I know that this goes against our cultural work ethic, just a sniffle, go into work/school, but with this current virus, I don’t think that works anymore!And if you don’t have H1N1, at the least you have been diligent! NOT ONLY WILL YOU BE AWARE AND GET CARE SOONER IF YOU NEED IT, but YOU WILL PREVENT little Johnny, your son or daughter’s classmate, who was a preemie, from getting PNEUMONIA complications and going to the hospital, or little Rosie with asthma, or the teacher who has heart issues, the diabetic grocery clerk, or your pregnant co-worker…you get the picture!
RISK FACTORS
Here is a short list of risk factors for complications with H1N1:
* Children younger than 5 years old. The risk for severe complications from seasonal influenza is highest among children younger than 2 years old.
* Adults 65 years of age and older.
* Persons with the following conditions:
* Chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological (including sickle cell disease), neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
* Immunosuppression, including that caused by medications or by HIV;
* Pregnant women;
* Persons younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy;
* Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities.
Some might say that the number of deaths if relatively low. YES, that may be true, but in your life, how many people do you know that have been HOSPITALIZED by the regular flu? I have not known one person in my whole life that was hospitalized by complications caused by the regular flu, but just this week, I personally know of 2 that were hospitalized directly linked to H1N1 flu complications.
Let’s all work together to prevent the spread!
Good sites to refer to:
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm
Last modified: July 13, 2026
Wow I gues u some of u guys got lucky..
I ended up geting the h1n1 I was 27 and it was towards the end of2009
I started with the cough and went to the hospital and was sent home 1day latter
I was dry heven and had direa. I tried to stay home thinking nothing about it UNTILL I passed out for the first time in my life so o got worried and went back to the hospital onmyway out to the car my nosebleed for the2nd time in my life ever. So I knew this was bad..so I’m at the hospital they have me oxygen because I guess my oxygen was low and my left lung was filling with fluids soo. That’s when it all statted . They sudated me and have given me parolidics And I was in a coma for a month to make a long.story short my left lung filled with fluids started to full the. Right my ling started cracking from the presure of the mechanical thing that breaths for u forgot the name of it.so I had a chest tube on the left side .my heart rate was sever (fast) they told my family they didn’t think I was going to make it . It was thanksgiving and I was on my death bed the whole family came to basicly say goodbye. I was turning for the worst.the next day the docs Got my heart back to normal rate then that night again I turned for the worst.they tryed to Wake me twice but when they did I would pull my tubes out from my arms and trakea And fight with them because I was so drugged And sick.I ended up in a coma for a month. And because I was in bed soo long I lost 35 poundsand lost a lot of my strength when I tryed to sitt up I. couldent and I couldn’t talk because of the trake (a hole in the throte ) the worst part was I had to stay in icu for 2weeks or soo and not being able to sleep for 3 days stright .on the forth day I had a seizure finly got sleep woke up fealing weard….. So all together I was in tje hospital for 2months and I remember every thing…..docters don’t know why I got so sick ..oh and when I woke from the coma I was parolized frpm nerve Damage (neropothy?) damage to the nerves in my feet .. Well got to go. Aph and I still have nerve damage 8months lather..there is a lot more to this story that I left out but if u guys haveany questions just ask And ill gladly tell.. My heart goes out to those who didn’t make it .there where 3 others that we’re there but didn’t make it I gues I was the lucky 1.take care all…
My one year old son has been sick with a cold for about 2 months on and off, I have brought him the the hospital about 5 times and they did nothing they sennt me home saying there was nothing wrong with him. I was getting very uspet and frustrated because my son was sick and i jnew it he wasn’t himself and could not stop coughing had a fever and a rash as well that kept on comming back. On Sunday i brought him to the Moncton City Hospital around 3 in the afternoon cause he was continually coughing and having a hard time cathing his breath.. the doctor was so rude to me made me feel like i was an idiot and that i was wasting his time i was sent home once again!!!! That night a 4am i Tyler was really having a hard time so I decided to go the the George Dumont Hospital this time hopefully they would do something, they did a little more that the Moncton Hospital did they actually gave hime some meds to help him breath and gave me a perscription for it as well. The meds seemed to be helping a bit but he was still coughing quite alot. on tuesday my immunoligist called to see how tyler was feeling cause he was supposed to get a vaccine shot about two months ago and we haven’t called him back. I told him what was going on and he said that he wasnted to get him tested for the h1n1. Thankfully he did cause it turns out that he has it, and have no idea how long he has had it for. Hopefully he didn’t infect anyone at day care..it’s not like i just ignored it i went to the hospital, but in my gut i knew that there was something wrong. So always trust your gut instinct.
Thank you for sharing your story. My 11 month old grandson has caught it. At first he just had a very light itch cough, nothing serious and now he has a fever, tired, softly crying, wants to be held. I’m so concerned.
Umm … it’s not “who’s” child, it’s “whose” child … kinda losing credibility there …
Wow, I am SURE my family just had H1N1! A week off school for both kids aged 5 and 7. High fevers, running 39.8 – 40.4 .. for about 3 days, and the cough.. wow cough cough cough. I was told there were kids at school the previous weeks that coughed all day long, and weren’t sent home. I guess it’s hard to tell, just a cough, or something more? Anyways, of course we weren’t tested for H1N1, but for strep throat (sp)… after reading all this I am SURE it was H1N1. My kids are still tired this week, but thank goodness nothing serious.
This is confirming my suspicions that it also went through my home in the end of may to the middle of June. I live very close to my parents and we see them on a daily basis, out of the five adults and three children in constant contact with us, everyone had some kinda of “Cold” the doctors wouldn’t tell me what it was, they wouldn’t really do anything and none of us ended up being tested. My dad developed a cough with an extremely sore throat, and trouble breathing towards the end of may… a fever in him was never confirmed. The 25 of May my daughter developed a fever, it wasn’t high mind you not quite reaching 38c but my daughter also runs a low body temperature, and has a history of atypical febrile seizures and very mild coughing asthma so we keep a pretty good eye on her. she had the cough and runny nose for at least two weeks, with the fever on and off and a few trips to the hospital or doctor. We had suspected she was asthmatic but it was unconfirmed until she couldn’t quit coughing after her so called “viral infection” we were also told once it was her sinuses from seasonal allergies, but the doctor knows she was tested in april and shown not to have any what so ever. Everyone else just had the sniffles for a couple weeks, with a cough and sore throat, with body aches. My Dad was sent home with an inhaler and never told what he had. He is not Asthmatic. Can anyone tell me if this is the H1N1 or if the health staff here was telling the truth?
my God, that sounds so much like what my kids went thru. However, no hospitalization in either case. My 7 year old got over it in 4 days, kept her an extra day at home to make sure she was no longer contagious. My 3 year old however it took her 2 weeks. Fever 4days 40.1C was the highest, however Tempra/Advil did bring her fever down. Then runny nose, congestion kicked in, and bang ear infection. Both their breathing were okay though THANK GOD. This never happened in JUNE. Acutally my 7 year old has never been sick since daycare. My 7 year old’s fever maxed at 38.9C. CoUGH kicked in for 7 days about for both. THEN ME, slight fever – did not go over 38C but coughed for 2 weeks almost. My husband so far still spared. My seven yr old and I wore masks. I stayed home a week and my 3 year old stayed home 2 weeks. My employer was diligent and didn’t want me to come in and spread it to the office. My seven year old’s school then advised me there were some cases of the same symptoms. SO AS above , we were not tested and not “officially” confirmed but the dr. did say “the flu” and mentioned the only one circulating now is NOT the seasonal flu. So we had to draw our own conclusions???? So it was an awful month of JUNE and can totally agree and relate to the above. THAnks for sharing.
I was reading somewhere that people with flu shots have 50% chance less of contracting. Not an immunity in either way (though I do believe certain groups are at a higher risk than others) but might be a gateway to a solution. A lot of companies are stockpiling on vaccines for their staff too.
Hey George,
Good read. In fact, I’m pretty sure I just got over a case of H1N1, my doctor agreed, although we didn’t bother getting me tested. I had a high fever, aches, and cough for nearly 5 days.. Stayed home from work.
Danger with Tamiflu use is that overprescription of it will simply lead to the virus becoming resistant sooner than it would otherwise. The medical community is mostly worried about the coming winter and wants as many lines of defense as possible. So unless you are an ‘at-risk’ category, they will tend to discourage use of Tamiflu. That being said, young children, the elderly and immunocompromised should be given a Tamiflu regimen asap if they have flu-like symptoms these days. Self-quarantine is also a massive issue. How many work environments discourage people taking sick days..?.. even though proper use of these would save everyone a serious heache (and fever).
Thanks for that George. As a parent, I can certainly sympathize with your friend as to what she had to go through. I can speak from first hand experience what its like to take your child to the emergency ward with a 105 degree fever. I’m not trying to minimize her situation, but I think there is a bigger problem here. It’s a classic case of an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure. How many things can we do as a society to help minimize the risks of outbreaks? We should all be diligent with strict hand washing, getting flu shots not to mention immunization. You don’t think polio can make a comeback? The medical community has been saying when,not if, a pandemic of some type will occur. H1N1 should be a wake up for us all. Give your friend my best.