I know that talking about meningitis B at a time when the vaccine is barely available in pharmacies is delicate, but after reading the case of Harry and his parents, who just broke my heart, I can't help but share it for a simple reason: for show what meningitis is capable of.
It happened two years ago, before the systematic vaccination of all babies with the Bexsero vaccine began in the United Kingdom, and that is why Harry was not vaccinated. Now his parents, two years after his death, have decided share your story to raise awareness of how serious it can be.
Harry died a day after diagnosis
They are Louise Y John donne, who in 2015 were parents of an eight-month-old baby named Harry, who was, as they thought, a little cold the day he stayed with his 19-year-old sister Shelby. They were fixing some wedding affairs that they would soon celebrate when they received their daughter's call: Harry was getting worse at times.
When they got home they realized that what they had could be serious, and they immediately called an ambulance. Upon arrival, they administered oxygen and began therapy with antibiotic treatment to attack the infection. A while later he was transferred to the hospital, where he died the afternoon of the next day.
A sepsis as a result of meningitis
A while after arriving at the hospital, a rash began to appear that colored his skin. The doctors explained that meningitis was advancing rapidly and that the body was reacting causing sepsis (we have talked more often about this condition: the body's own poisoning as a result of an infection).
A sepsis, or septicemia, causes the failure of some organs, and in the case of Harry it severely affected his kidneys, so that he began to retain liquid in an important way: for his parents he had almost doubled in size.
In the words of Louise, the mother, to the DailyMail:
They were trying to stabilize him and they told me that they would have to sleep him so that his brain would decrease activity, but I didn't want to because I was afraid that I could never see him again.
So the hours passed until the next day, when Harry was no better, but quite the opposite. The infection progressed despite all efforts and septicemia affected him more and more. So they arrived in the afternoon, when doctors gave them the terrible news: the brain was damaged because of the infection, and There was nothing to do.
Then they were given a choice between disconnecting the machines that kept him alive, or leaving them longer, at the risk of Harry having a heart attack. Again, in the words of his mother:
I didn't want him to suffer anymore. The priest came, who gave him the extreme anointing, then took the machines and we stayed with him. That was the moment of his death. It passed in my arms. He knew he would not wake up; I looked into his eyes and told him that I would be here with him when he woke up.
"People don't realize how serious meningitis can be"
They were totally devastated by the brutality and rapidity of the disease, which in just one day took the life of their son. With a feeling, according to the mother, of to be living a parallel life since then, decided to start a fundraising campaign, so that from the association Meningitis Now They could continue doing the great support work they do for all those affected and for their families. To date they have raised more than 20 thousand pounds, which will undoubtedly be of great help to all those affected.
And what about the Bexsero vaccine?
Yesterday I was talking to some parents who told me they are on the waiting list of three pharmacies. In one they have more than 150 people in front, in another they have almost fifty, and in the other some more. The GSK pharmaceutical company is having trouble supplying pharmacies since its approval as an optional prescription vaccine in October 2015, and instead of getting better, the situation worsens after it has had technical manufacturing problems with two lots, to the point of having to stop its distribution.
Photos | DailyMail
In Babies and more | Where is the 'Bexsero' meningitis B vaccine and what to do if you only get one dose ?, The AEP asks that the meningitis B vaccine be included in the vaccine schedule, Meningitis, know it better: prevention and warning symptoms
