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http://www.wsmv.com/news/21476729/detail.html

Woman's Death Possibly Due To H1N1
Mother Had Picture-Perfect Health, Says Cousin
Reported By Cara Kumari

POSTED: 11:14 am CDT October 30, 2009
UPDATED: 12:15 pm CDT October 30, 2009

-- A Nolensville woman who family members called a "picture of good health" has died, and H1N1 flu may be to blame. Her family is asking her death to be a reminder to those who may think the flu can't touch them.


Jamie Loveless, 27, and her husband, Chris, had a lot to be thankful for.

"They had the picture-perfect life. They had the new home, they had the new baby, they had a perfect marriage," said Pam Ford, Jamie's cousin. "She was completely healthy. No problems. She was young, vital, outgoing, had a young baby. I mean, the picture-perfect health."

Last week, family members said, Jamie was diagnosed with the H1N1 flu. Even though she didn't feel well, she kept pushing on, continuing with a Florida vacation.

But as a result of H1N1, she developed severe pneumonia and had to be hospitalized.

"By Sunday, they said she had a 50-50 chance of survival," said Ford.

Loveless died Thursday afternoon. Her son will never know his mother, her husband has lost the love of his life and friends and family feel empty.

"Jamie was an awesome person. She was caring, she was funny, she was giving, she was great to be around," Ford said. "I think it's definitely a major wake-up call for so many people today that you absolutely had better take this serious. You need to get the shot."

Family members said Loveless had no chronic health problems that they knew of. In fact, they said, she enjoyed running and working out.

Funeral arrangements have not been made.

Tennessee 38 deaths; 29 adults and 9 children.

... more on Jamie Loveless, 27 (I tried to resequence the account in chronological order ...)

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091 ... N1+dangers

After the weekend in Indiana, the Lovelesses set out for a family vacation in Florida last Wednesday.

She had been running a low fever off and on all week, but it seemed like nothing to be concerned about.

Still, when she woke up feeling achy on Friday morning, it seemed like skipping the beach to rest would be best.

When Jamie started to show more serious signs of illness, her husband took her to the nearest hospital expecting to get some medicine and go home.

Saturday afternoon, Jamie Loveless, 27, was admitted to St. Petersburg General Hospital with pneumonia that doctors said probably developed from the H1N1 virus. The illness attacked her lungs and escalated rapidly.

Saturday night she began breathing heavier, and by 2 a.m. on Sunday doctors had her on a ventilator and began administering Tamiflu for H1N1. There was never a confirmed diagnosis because lab results can take a week.

By Tuesday morning she had suffered multiple organ failure but was stable. By 7 p.m. doctors sounded hopeful. They started a feeding tube and lowered her sedation meds, but her body did not react well.

Wednesday was a day of struggle, and by Thursday morning her oxygen levels had dropped significantly. Around 2:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon, Jamie's heart stopped.

Flu linked to boy’s death

By ALEX MILLER

Justin White, 9, of Lynnville, died from complications from swine flu Sunday at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville.

The boy’s parents, Joddie and Karen White, want the public to know how deadly the virus can be.

“I know you see on the news that it’s dangerous, but honestly I don’t think people realize how dangerous it is,” said Justin’s father, Joddie White. “We would like to get the word out to people about how bad this is. It’s terrible.”

Justin’s father said the boy had been suffering from kidney problems since July, and by late October his kidneys had shut down.

“It was a roller coaster ride. One day he’d look like he’d be doing good, the next day he’d be worse,” he said.
*

He underwent surgery Oct. 24 in preparation for dialysis, but while recovering from the surgery he contracted swine flu. Justin White spent two weeks on a ventilator before succumbing Sunday.

Justin White suffered from Cerebral Palsy all his life, never learning to walk or talk. Despite this, he was a third grader at Southside Elementary School in Pulaski.

His parents described him as a cheerful child who loved school, music, family and Chinese food.

“I don’t think he had a mean or a bad bone in him,” his father said. “Not only was he the heart and soul of our family, he was the heart and soul of a lot of people. He really touched a lot of lives in his nine years.”

http://www.c-dh.net/articles/2009/11/18 ... nwhite.txt

State Senator Ophelia Ford Back In Hospital

http://www.wsmv.com/politics/22321549/detail.html

According to Channel 4's sister station, WMC, the Memphis Democrat has missed the entire special legislative session on Capitol Hill. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey said Ford missed the first week with flu-like symptons and that she's spent the last two or three days in the hospital.

According to Ramsey, Ford's lack of attendance had little impact on key votes because none of them was close.

Ford's 2010 attendance record is a familiar pattern. Two years ago, she missed most of the legislative session because of a bleeding ulcer.

A spokesperson for Ford's brother, Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford, said he had no comment regarding the state senator's condition.

The sad case above, I think, is of a girl from Mississippi who was being treated at a Memphis hospital. Perhaps it should be moved to the Mississippi thread?
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20 ... -flu-death

Doctors at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center are on high alert tonight after a spike in the number of children with flu-like symptoms. Right now, they believe all cases to be the novel H1N1 swine flu virus.
...
n a brief press conference, Doctor Keith English told reporters the H1N1 swine flu never went away after the high number of cases back in late August and early September.

"So we still had children admitted with H1N1 influenza in November, in December, into this month," says English.

While the cases decreased in number, the virus was still circulating. And just recently, numbers have started to climb, again, with increased admissions to the intensive care unit.

"Over the past 3 weeks or so, we've had about 17 or 18 admissions to Le Bonheur with confirmed influenza. I should say that we believe all or almost all of these will prove to be the novel H1N1 influenza virus."

Infectious disease doctors believe its the only virus circulating in significant amounts in the community right now.

"I think 7 of the 17 or 18 have been admitted to the ICU [intensive care unit]. So that's a bit of a shift of what we saw before."

Last fall, the children's hospital set up a tent outside the emergency department to screen children whose parents were fearful their children contracted the highly contagious virus. The majority of those cases were minor and the patients were sent home. Of the 245 kids admitted to the hospital, 30 to 40 were admitted to ICU, and 4 children died.
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/te ... ke-in-h1n1

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01271 ... N_ICU.html