West Nile virus victim feels the bite
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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."
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