Richard Gibson, CA survivor

West Nile virus victim feels the bite Published: July 01, 2008 1:00 PM

“I’m your one per cent,” says a man I’ve yet to formally meet.
Richard Gibson wheels his way through The Valley Echo and into the reporter’s office.
He’s speaking about a recent article we’ve published on the precautions a person should take to avoid the West Nile bite.

The Saskatchewan man has a firsthand account of the severity the disease can inflict.
On August 16, 2007 Gibson began to experience a barrage of sickness, which he was told was a sinus infection.
Suffering chronic headaches, extreme exhaustion, eye irritation and chills, he went to a local walk-in clinic, his diagnosis was echoed Monday morning by his family doctor.

But a few days later his illness had intensified so severely that the now delirious Gibson spent 11 days in intensive care. He had been admitted to Yorkton Hospital August 22.

After extensive blood work and a spinal tap, doctors were able to diagnose him with the West Nile virus. But with no means to cure the disease, time and an abundance of antibiotics were hoped to aid Gibson.

As cases are still relativity rare in Canada, medical personnel had little assurances to offer his family. They simply didn’t know what the outcome would be.
As a result of the virus Gibson had meningitis and paralysis, leaving Gibson without the use of his legs and arms.
After one month in hospital he was transferred to Regina’s Wascana Rehabilitation Centre where he spent five months regaining his ability to walk and make use of his arms.

When he managed to finally get home it was December. By then Gibson had lost his job as a minister. He and his wife had to move from the church’s manse.
Today Gibson is mobile with the aid of a walker. He’s regained most of his ability in his right arm; his left is still paralyzed from the elbow up. He continues to go to rehabilitation everyday.

“I’m far beyond what anyone thought possible, but I’m nowhere near where I was.”
Recently Gibson and his wife Kathleen organized a forum for other West Nile survivors.
At the Saskatchewan gathering the couple met many victims of the virus. All of them had endured different degrees of the illness.
Some in attendance had experienced moderate mild flu-like symptoms, others represented loved ones who had died from the virus.

Gibson says he has yet to encounter any two people who have had identical symptoms.
Trying to make sense of the disease, Kathleen is in the midst of writing a book on their personal ordeal. The Gibsons hope to bring to light just how detrimental West Nile can be and encouraged others to take precautionary measures against insect bites.

“Most people don’t recognize how serious it can be. Something that happened to me might happen to someone else.”
While West Nile virus has yet to be detected in B.C., scientists are waiting for the first case to be found. “There is no cure, only prevention."

Melissa Dimond, UT Survivor

Victim struggles with West Nile effects
Bountiful woman still battles virus' aftereffects
By Heather May The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 07/24/2008 12:37:07 AM MDT

BOUNTIFUL - As she stood outside her new home with her new husband two years ago, Melissa Dimond was bit by a mosquito. She remembers thinking, "I hope I don't get West Nile [virus]." Two weeks later came the telltale signs. She developed a rash and severe headaches. She lost some vision in her left eye.

The type 1 diabetic grew spacey, twice throwing away the device that checks her blood-sugar levels. Eventually, after a couple of emergency room visits because she couldn't keep food or water down, close one of her eyes or remember how to put contact lenses in or use her insulin pump, tests confirmed she had the virus and one of its most serious repercussions. The virus had developed into meningoencephalitis - it had inflamed her brain and the membranes of the spinal cord. Most people infected with West Nile don't develop symptoms.

Dimond and her husband, Blake, spoke to reporters Wednesday about her ordeal as a cautionary tale about the importance of protection during mosquito season. To make the point of how easy the virus is to contract, Dimond noted she knew something about the disease as an epidemiologist at the state health department. "This type of illness is really rare. That needs to stay in perspective," she said from her living room couch. But, she added, "it's really not worth the risk, even if it is small."

Common in Africa, West Asia and the Middle East, the virus spread to the United States in 1999 and to Utah in 2003. It's typically spread through mosquitos, which become infected after feeding on infected birds. Last year, the state reported 70 human cases that resulted in two deaths. So far this year, the virus has infected two people, one in Uintah County and another reported in Salt Lake County this week. Both reported fevers. The virus has also been detected in either pools, mosquitos or birds in Box Elder, Davis, Kane, Millard, Utah and Washington counties.

The state health department says the virus has surely spread throughout the state. Dimond guesses she was outside at dusk for about 20 minutes when she got bit in September 2006. She thinks she was so severely affected because her immune system was compromised by diabetes and a sinus infection she had at the time. She spent about a month in the hospital. She couldn't swallow, smile or stick out her tongue. She couldn't walk or raise her arms and she had double vision. Doctors didn't know if she suffered brain damage. "It was devastating," Blake Dimond recalled. "To see your wife without any facial expression, sick, relying on machines to feed her. . . . I just wanted to know: Is it going to be my same Melissa that I married?"

It took six months of relearning skills as basic as coughing and spitting to get to where she is today. She still tires easily and has trouble walking because the toes of her left foot curl in. But she is back to work and can take care of herself again. Her vocal range has limits, but she has rejoined her church choir. Her goal is to be able to mountain bike again. The couple are more cautious than ever about warding off mosquitos. Citronella candles are on the porch. She steers clear of most evening barbecues. "I'm really proud to have her back," Blake Dimond said. "I had no idea she could get that sick."

contact: hmay@sltrib.com

Stacie King, MS

Pontotoc mother wins battle with WEST NILE VIRUS Stacie and Savannah

(Stacie King spraying her 5-year-old daughter Savannah.)

By SANDRA PRIEST
Special to the Progress

It�s hard to believe that a tiny insect could cause a grown woman so much trouble, but for Stacie King just one pesky little mosquito almost cost her her life.
It all began early on a September morning when Stacie woke up with the worst headache and backache she had ever experienced. �I wasn�t able to go to church that day,� she says as she remembers the unexpected turn of events last fall. Her symptoms soon included dizziness, nausea, and weakness. �Everyday I just got worse,� she recalls with a faraway look in her eyes.
When her unusual symptoms didn�t improve she finally decided it was time to see a doctor. Stacie�s husband Derrick says, �Now, if I start to get a sniffle I run to the doctor, but Stacie never goes.� He knew his wife was really sick�and worried.
She made an appointment with Dr. Joseph Montgomery. Because Stacie�s symptoms were uncommon, and the routine tests in the office didn�t give any real clues to help in making a diagnosis, Dr. Joseph consulted with his older brother Dr. Steve Montgomery. Dr. Steve was puzzled as well by the mysterious symptoms that by now included a high fever. Trying to get to the root cause of the strange illness they decided to order a CT scan, as well as blood tests for a long list of diseases�a lot of which were fatal. �It�s a scary feeling when the doctor puts you in the hospital and doesn�t know what is wrong with you,� Stacie vividly remembers.
After the CT scan came back normal a spinal tap was ordered to check for meningitis, an inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord. This test came back positive. One piece of the puzzling illness had fallen into place, but Dr. Steve, who was the one on call that weekend, didn�t think that was the whole puzzle. Stacie explains, �He was anxious to see what the blood work that had been sent off to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota showed.�

Puzzle solved
After the results from the Mayo Clinic came in, the puzzle of the mysterious illness was finally solved. Derrick remembers how scared he and Stacie were when they first heard the diagnosis. �When he (Dr. Steve) walked into the room and said �Well, I know now what you�ve had�, we just held our breath. When he said it was West Nile Meningitis I thought that was a death sentence, but he said �But you�re going to be fine�.�
Dr. Steve explained that the disease is extremely rare and that it would take quite some time for Stacie to fully recover. In all his years of practicing medicine, this was his first patient with West Nile Virus. �He said he was just as shocked as we were,� Stacie recalls. Her case was the first and only instance of West Nile Virus reported in Pontotoc County in 2007.
As a mother of five, Stacie can�t imagine a child going through an ordeal like hers. �I think parents should be real cautious and should be real aware. You think it would never happen to you.�
The King family is thankful that Stacie is on the road to recovery. Although she still tires easily she is doing well. Stacie and Derrick are especially thankful for family and friends who helped them through those difficult weeks while she was in the hospital and recuperating afterwards. �If it had not been for family and friends we would have been in a tight�a real tight,� Derrick says gratefully. Stacie adds with a smile, �The good Lord works it all out. He always has for us.�

Appeared originally in the Pontotoc Progress, 7/1/2008, section C , page 1

Rev. Richard Gibson-CAN

West Nile virus victim feels the bite

By Janine Toms - Invermere Valley Echo - July 01, 2008

| | | |

Rev. Richard Gibson and his wife Kathleen pay a visit to the valley this summer. Richard is a West Nile survivor who experienced a serious reaction to the virus last summer in Saskatchewan. Janine Toms/Echo photo

“I’m your one per cent,” says a man I’ve yet to formally meet.

Richard Gibson wheels his way through The Valley Echo and into the reporter’s office.

He’s speaking about a recent article we’ve published on the precautions a person should take to avoid the West Nile bite.

The Saskatchewan man has a firsthand account of the severity the disease can inflict.

On August 16, 2007 Gibson began to experience a barrage of sickness, which he was told was a sinus infection.

Suffering chronic headaches, extreme exhaustion, eye irritation and chills, he went to a local walk-in clinic, his diagnosis was echoed Monday morning by his family doctor.

But a few days later his illness had intensified so severely that the now delirious Gibson spent 11 days in intensive care. He had been admitted to Yorkton Hospital August 22.

After extensive blood work and a spinal tap, doctors were able to diagnose him with the West Nile virus. But with no means to cure the disease, time and an abundance of antibiotics were hoped to aid Gibson.

As cases are still relativity rare in Canada, medical personnel had little assurances to offer his family. They simply didn’t know what the outcome would be.

As a result of the virus Gibson had meningitis and paralysis, leaving Gibson without the use of his legs and arms.

After one month in hospital he was transferred to Regina’s Wascana Rehabilitation Centre where he spent five months regaining his ability to walk and make use of his arms.

When he managed to finally get home it was December. By then Gibson had lost his job as a minister. He and his wife had to move from the church’s manse.

Today Gibson is mobile with the aid of a walker. He’s regained most of his ability in his right arm; his left is still paralyzed from the elbow up. He continues to go to rehabilitation everyday.

“I’m far beyond what anyone thought possible, but I’m nowhere near where I was.”

Recently Gibson and his wife Kathleen organized a forum for other West Nile survivors.

At the Saskatchewan gathering the couple met many victims of the virus. All of them had endured different degrees of the illness.

Some in attendance had experienced moderate mild flu-like symptoms, others represented loved ones who had died from the virus.

Gibson says he has yet to encounter any two people who have had identical symptoms.

Trying to make sense of the disease, Kathleen is in the midst of writing a book on their personal ordeal. The Gibsons hope to bring to light just how detrimental West Nile can be and encouraged others to take precautionary measures against insect bites.

“Most people don’t recognize how serious it can be. Something that happened to me might happen to someone else.”

While West Nile virus has yet to be detected in B.C., scientists are waiting for the first case to be found. “There is no cure, only prevention."