Barbara Dejolde

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Here the story of my mom. My mom was 54 years old, known healthy and active. And I live long way from them because of my work. One day my auntie tells me that my mom is sick. It was my day off so I went home urgently and asked my mom what happened? Then she tells me that she had on and off fever every afternoon and sometimes with chills, and I noticed her dry cough.

Then I asked to her how long that she had fever and cough. She said almost a week and she complained about a headache when coughing. That time I checked her vital signs her BP was low, 90/30, and her pulse was tachycardic about 121bpm, temp: 37.6, then we rushed to hospital.

At the hospital my mom started antibiotics and nebulization, pain reliever for her headache, then IV fluids. Lab results showed her platelets were low 68, but her WBC (white blood cells) were normal. Then the X-ray read bronchitis . Her doctor tells us that she suspected dengue because we live in the part of Philippines where dengue is high, and she ordered repeat CBC (complete blood count) after 12 hours . The repeat CBC showed another drop of platelet and WBC same normal.

The doctor asked my mom when was her fever started. That time it’s day 7 of her fever. Then her doctor told us that this is something wrong, if its dengue at day 7, she will not have fever anymore and her platelets will start to increased. Then that time day 2 of her hospitalization, my mother complained that she was having difficulty of breathing after nebulization. I noticed her oxygen saturation started to drop ti 90%, 92%. She then started oxygen inhalation via nasal cannula, but same, there no increase on O2 saturation. Meds started with hydrocortisone and budesonide and furosemide, but still my mom claimed shortness of breath, and 02 sat drops low 85%. And she was still tachycardic.

Another test checked her TSH and it was very low. We transfered to tertiary hospital for further management. That time my mother become weak and she feels like she’s suffocating when she puts her oxygen mask. That time there is delay of transporting her to other hospital because we manage our bills. When we arrive at emergency room, doctors assessed her then ordered a repeat chest X-ray. Then the film show accumulation of fluids. They checked all lab test and they showed sepsis. The doctor told us that my mom is critical and she’s having respiratory distress due to infection. Then my mom was sedated and intubated. That time my mom tell me that she not want to be intubated and she scared in the ICU, that it was painful. ( but that’s the only way to save here but sad to say after 10 hours at IVU,  her vital signs dropped and then she started to arrest.

Source: Kenneth, Barbara's son

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