Swine Flu - Child Killer!

Where swine flu is concerned, the spotlight is now on Aubrey Opdyke. Aubrey was diagnosed with swine flu fairly late. In the beginning, she thought it was a minor flu that would pass. However, when her health seemed to deteriorate at a fast pace, she consulted a doctor. She was diagnosed with swine flu. At this point of time, Aubrey was 27 weeks pregnant.

Parker Christine Opdyke was delivered on a high emergency basis, when her heart rate rose exponentially, during her mother's third lung collapse. Her airway was blocked, as a side-effect of the drugs, that were being given to save her swine flu inflicted mother. Parker was described as, "beautiful, with tufts of long eyelashes - just like her mother," by Eye Samples, a local reporter from West Palm Beach. Parker lived for 7 minutes.

During her four month long hospital stay, Aubrey Opdyke experienced 6 lung collapses and detrimental seizures. She spent 5 long weeks in coma. She blew up like a balloon, due to high-pressure ventilation until "she looked like she weighed 400 pounds," said Bryan Opdyke, Aubrey's husband.

Many families have faced derivative health problems due to swine flu. Several infants have died and parents have been left to face the horror. But, seldom do they volunteer to come out in the open and let the world know of the terrible ordeal that they have endured. The Opdykes chose to avoid a life of silence because they "wanted to get it out there, how dangerous it could be." Mr. Opdyke said, "We have friends who get flu symptoms and say, 'Oh, I’m not going to a doctor,' and we say, ‘Do you not understand what we went through?’ I can’t imagine why there’s so much nonchalance."

It may be tiresome and difficult for them to tell everybody about how their 4 year old daughter, Hope, lost her sister. But the greater good, needs to be served. It is thanks to such heroes, that more people around the world are making it a point to face the fear of diagnosis and go to a doctor, if they see symptoms of swine flu. Aubrey still has extremely weak muscles and limbs and requires a walker to facilitate mobility.

While it is scary to correlate swine flu and pregnancy, we cannot run away from the fact that pregnant women all over the world are more susceptible to swine flu. This report is to voice a humble request. Even though you might seem healthy and fine to yourself, take special care. Get your routine checkups done. Make sure your immediate family members are taking the right precautions. Swine flu may not succeed in killing you, but it will change your life, for the worse. So be careful. This is where I sign off! Take care!