Gwen Zwanziger, a mother, shares how a simple case of influenza became one of the most devastating moments that happened in her life.
“Her only complaint was a sore throat”
Almost 3 years after her daughter Shannon’s death, Gwen Zwanziger still hasn’t come to grips with the fact that her daughter has already passed away, all because of a flu.
She writes, “If I could just talk to her one last time. Tell her how sorry I am. Does she know? Can she see from heaven? I have mixed feelings about how things work up there, I just know they do.”
She also mentioned that during the time that her daughter was sick, her only complaint was a sore throat, and that “her fever wasn’t scary.”
The doctor said to “let it run its course”
“Shannon went to school on a Wednesday, came home like always, but said a friend “gave” her the flu.
“I sent her up to her room and began the same things any parent would do.
“I brought her liquids, applesauce, and soup. She complained of a sore throat, so her dad brought home throat spray, Tylenol, throat lozenges, and a little gift. She developed a fever, but not so high to take her to the ER.
Later that week, I thought she ought to be feeling better, so I wondered if she was taking advantage of days off of school and being waited on,” she shares.
When they realized that she wasn’t getting any better, they decided to take her to the doctor, and the doctor told them to just “let it run its course.”
She added that the doctor didn’t have enough time for her daughter, since the hospital’s waiting room was also packed with other kids and people who had the flu, so they just went home.
Sadly, about 34 hours after the trip to the doctor, her daughter died while Gwen was helping her take a bath. Shannon died in her arms. She writes, “The flu destroyed her organs. She didn’t even know it.”
Make sure to get your child vaccinated
In spite of what happened to her daughter, Gwen is still now trying to provide other parents with information on just how dangerous the flu can be.
While a lot of people tend to go through the flu and recover within a week, it’s sadly not true in all cases. Which is why it’s very important for parents to ensure that their child is always vaccinated against the flu, so that they would not get infected.
Vaccinations are important in both preventing disease, as well as preventing the spread of disease to other people. Which is why you should always have your child vaccinated.
Source: edition.cnn.com
READ: 10 of the world’s weirdest flu remedies
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