West Nile ordeal kills city senior
Michelle Lang
Calgary Herald
Thursday, January 10, 2008
For almost five months, Ray Stevens fought for his life in the intensive care unit of Rockyview Hospital, paralyzed except for one arm.
The 76-year-old Calgarian, infected with a severe form of West Nile virus, slipped in and out of consciousness. He was on life support during much of his time in hospital.
Last week, Stevens lost his long battle with West Nile neurological syndrome, becoming the second person in Alberta to die from the mosquito-borne disease.
"Every day, you'd go up (to the hospital) and hope that something better would happen, but it didn't," said Arlene Stevens, his widow, on Wednesday.
"People have to realize how serious this is. They have to protect themselves," she added.
Stevens, a hockey enthusiast with a passion for his dogs, passed away Dec. 30 after becoming infected last summer, possibly during a visit to Saskatchewan.
His death comes four months after an elderly Calgary-area woman became the first person in Alberta to die from the virus in mid-September.
Like Stevens, health officials say the unidentified 74-year-old woman likely contracted West Nile in Saskatchewan.
Although both cases appear to have links to Saskatchewan, the deaths follow a record-setting year for West Nile in Alberta. The province recorded 321 cases of the virus in 2007, eclipsing the previous record in 2003 when there were about 275 cases.
"This unfortunate death underlies the importance of our message," said Howard May, spokesman for Alberta Health. "The single most effective way to reduce the risk is using DEET and personal protection."
Arlene was concerned about West Nile before her husband contracted it, and she even considered whether they should travel to Saskatchewan last summer. But the couple, who used DEET-based mosquito repellent, decided to go to Yorkton -- Stevens' hometown -- for their daughter's 50th birthday.
They left for Yorkton on July 31, returning to Calgary Aug. 9. Six days later, Stevens fell ill with flu-like symptoms. On Aug. 19, Stevens was rushed to hospital with "the worst headache possible," and within three days, he was admitted to intensive care, said his wife.
During his long hospital stay, his family had difficulty communicating with Stevens, who was hard of hearing. They often wrote him notes when they wanted to tell him something. Arlene said her husband had many visitors at the hospital, including his great grandkids and even his two dogs.
"The dogs seemed to know. They were perfect," she said.
Stevens didn't remember getting the mosquito bites that ultimately claimed his life. Arlene said it isn't clear if he was bitten in Saskatchewan or back in Calgary, but health officials suspect he contracted the virus during his trip.
In most cases, people who contract West Nile exhibit no symptoms and often learn they are carrying it after donating blood.
Those who do become ill may experience headaches, fever, chills and swollen lymph glands.
Serious cases can develop into the potentially-deadly West Nile Neurological Syndrome.
"Oftentimes, in West Nile Neurological Disorder, the risk increases with age and other health issues," said Bruce Conway, a spokesman at Calgary Health Region.
A memorial service for Stevens is planned for Saturday.
mlang@theherald.canwest.com
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Sunday, November 11, 2007
David Kelly, SC survivor
Grad student survives brush with West Nile 
david kelly with mother gayle
Vince Jackson/Special to the Independent-Mail
Saturday, November 10, 2007, Anderson South Carolina
Gayle and David Kelly, mother and son
David Kelly was a healthy, 25-year-old graduate student at Clemson University when he realized something was not right.
“I felt weakness in my leg and pain in my lower back,” he said. “The pain did not stay in one place. It moved around to my neck and head.”
The weather in Clemson had been hot and dry in late August — not the kind of weather to produce swarms of mosquitoes.
“I always thought that West Nile virus was something other people got. Certainly not my son,” said David’s mother, Gayle Kelly.
Mr. Kelly had attended orientation at the university’s Outdoor Lab, but doesn’t remember being bitten by an insect.
“I have no idea how I got this disease,” he said.
Gayle Kelly said she realized something was terribly wrong with her son when he could not walk properly and began to shake uncontrollably. At the emergency room, Mr. Kelly was diagnosed with pneumonia and told to go home to recover. At home, he was too weak to get out of the car, so his mother took him back to the emergency room and demanded he be treated.
“Doctors have since told me that I saved David’s life by being so insistent,” she said.
Once the seriousness of Mr. Kelly’s illness became apparent to doctors, they drew blood and ordered a spinal tap and CAT scan. They were focusing on two possibilities: the neurological disorder Guillain-Barre or West Nile virus.
The next day Mr. Kelly’s temperature climbed to 104 degrees and he suffered spasmodic jerking of his body. He was conscious, but could not perform neurological tests such as touching the end of his nose with his index finger. More tests were ordered, including an MRI and nerve conduction test.
Ms. Kelly recalled that she was beginning to face the possibility that her only son would not survive. Mr. Kelly was transferred to Greenville Memorial Hospital, where doctors found that anti-convulsive drugs administered to him were having an adverse effect on brain function.
“I had to decide whether or not to give him the seizure drugs because of the side effects,” Ms. Kelly said. “No one knew if it would kill him or not, to stop those drugs.”
Mr. Kelly’s temperature dropped as low as 95 degrees and he developed a heart arrhythmia due to interactions among the different drugs he was being given. Finally, after a week in the hospital, doctors told Mr. Kelly they had an idea what his illness was: West Nile virus.
“The hospital could not tell us that David had WNV, only that he had WNV antibodies in his blood,” said Ms. Kelly. Either DHEC or CDC must confirm WNV, and that took another 2ƒ weeks.
Eventually Mr. Kelly was transferred to Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Center, where he spent nearly two weeks and gradually began walking again, with the aid of a walker and cane.
Two months later, Mr. Kelly has recovered enough to return to school, where he works part-time as a graduate assistant. He can now walk short distances, but needs to wear a leg brace to support his foot.
“I am not in pain and I don’t remember much about what happened to me, but I am determined to get completely back to good health,” he said. “The most important thing is to finish my Ph.D. I want to teach business at a university.”
Gayle and David Kelly, mother and son
As a distant cousin of John C. Calhoun, Mr. Kelly feels a strong connection to Clemson and is grateful for the prayers, encouragement and hope the university community provided during his illness and recovery.
“I love Clemson and all the people associated with it,” he said. “I want everyone to know how much it means to have their support.”
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Megan Cherkas, CAN survivor
Megan Cherkas. credit: Don Healy, The Leader-Post
Cherkas sees good things
Murray McCormick, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, November 01, 2007Megan Cherkas, who has battled through knee injuries in three previous seasons with the University of Regina Cougars, pronounced herself healthy for the 2007-08 women's basketball season.
Not so fast. Cherkas was feeling great about the upcoming season before being infected with the West Nile virus in August. While her knees are strong, she was weakened by the virus that is transferred to humans by mosquitoes.
"I didn't get the one with the flu symptoms,'' said Cherkas, a fourth-year guard with the Cougars. "I just felt drained all of the time. I couldn't breathe when I ran and I thought that I developed allergies over the summer.''
View Larger ImageUniversity of Regina Cougars guard Megan Cherkas. credit: Don Healy, The Leader-Post
Cherkas saw a doctor, who diagnosed that she had West Nile. Cherkas was able to bounce back after plenty of rest. Cherkas added that Meryl Jordan, another guard with the Cougars, was infected with the West Nile virus during the summer.
"I was lucky because mine was really minor,'' Cherkas said.
Cherkas and the Cougars begin the 2007-08 Canada West season on the weekend with two games at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport. The Cougars, ranked seventh in the CIS pre-season poll, play the Trinity Western Spartans on Friday and the Simon Fraser Clan on Saturday. The Clan are the CIS's top-ranked team and the defending national champions. Both games tip off at 6 p.m. The men's team also opens play Friday against the same schools at 8 p.m. on both nights.
The Cougars women's team rolls into the season with high expectations. After two years of pleading patience with the development of a young team, the Cougars are poised to reap the rewards of the learning process.
"People used to tell us that it was OK to be inexperienced,'' said Cherkas. "It wasn't OK but that was one of the reasons. Now we have players in our third and fourth years and it's time.''
Dave Taylor, who returns for his second full season as the Cougars head coach, anticipates this season being the "pay-off" year for the squad. There are six fourth-year players and four players in their third season with the Cougars.
"We knew that we were building for this year,'' Taylor said. "If we can stay healthy, we can be very good.''
Being good enough means winning their division and being one of the final four teams at the Canada West championship. The Canadian championship is March 13-16 in Saskatoon.
"Once there, you win one game and you're at nationals,'' Taylor said. "Our goal is to be playing well at the Final Four weekend.''
That comes back to the maturing of the Cougars. The younger players learned about the university game while logging significant minutes in their first and second years. They also gave away a great deal of experience to older teams.
The future looks bright because there aren't any fifth-year players on the roster. That means the Cougars should remain intact for another season when they play host to the 2009 CIS women's basketball championship.
"That's the year when we should be at our best,'' Taylor said.
Cherkas felt that one of the advantages of playing as youngsters with the Cougars was they have all become friends. They hung out over the summer and are close heading into the new season. Those bonds will be needed to carry through with the team's goals for this season and next.
"We've all matured together,'' Cherkas said. "We've matured into responsible adults. We aren't children anymore and we know what we have to get done. Being women now, we are naturally much stronger.''
Among the Cougars' fourth-year players are Chelsea Cassano, Jacquie Kenyon, Maja Kralovcova, Jessica Lynch and Jordan. Gabby Gheyssen returns after being named to the CIS all-rookie team in 2007.
Among the notable newcomers are post Brittany Read and Lynch. Read moves into the CIS level after playing with the Balfour Redmen.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Donald "Don” Lee Wood, OK
By Ron Jackson
Staff Writer MIAMI, OK —
Donald "Don” Lee Wood lost the love of his life in June when his wife of 64 years died of heart failure. To no one's surprise, the 85-year-old Wood died less than two months later.
Wood, family members believed, died of a broken heart.
But an autopsy showed it was the West Nile virus.
"We were at the house before the funeral when we got the call,” said Richard Wood, 60, of Miami and the older of Don's two sons. "They told us he had the West Nile virus. We were stunned. Who would have thought West Nile virus?”
Richard paused and then mused, "I told my brother, ‘Mom must have sent that mosquito down here to get him.' ”
On Aug. 6, Don Wood became one of seven Oklahomans to die from the West Nile virus this year. As with most known cases, Wood's outdoor activity and advanced age likely proved to be a lethal combination.
He enjoyed sitting on his deck with his wife, Mary, and despite his battle with macular degeneration, always insisted on doing his own yard work.
"I'd come over to mow his lawn, and he would never let me do the whole thing,” Richard Wood said. "He always insisted on doing at least a portion.
"I'd bet that mosquito got him while he was fiddling around out back there.”
It can harm anyone
Miami also proved to be the wrong place for the elder Wood prior to his death.The Ottawa County seat was swarming with mosquitoes in the weeks following its historic July 4 flooding. The problem was so bad, city crews were spraying neighborhoods.
Health, otherwise, didn't appear to be an issue with Wood. He remained slender throughout his life, lifted dumbbells every day and took vitamins because of his eye problems.
He worked 30 years with the Douglas Aircraft Co. in Tulsa, and stressed the importance of a strong work ethic. He also stressed an active lifestyle, coaching his sons' youth baseball teams and supporting them in their studies and extracurricular athletic endeavors, the sons said.
Wood lived that philosophy until West Nile ended his life.
"He worked out every day,” said Scott Wood, 50, of Tulsa and Don's youngest son. "Heck, he was probably in better shape than me.”
Scott Wood now understands that's the point with West Nile virus. It can harm anyone of any age at any time. He hopes others take heed.
"I remember we used to cut wood, and we'd be out all day long in the woods,” Scott Wood recalled. "We'd come home, and pick 10, 15 ticks off us and not think a thing about it. Mosquito bites? Didn't matter.
"Who thought about mosquito repellent? We do now.”
Debbie Fiddler, OK Survivor
Sun November 4, 2007
Faces of West Nile: 'Not knowing what was wrong' was the hardest part for survivor
She's also a West Nile virus survivor.
"I'm told I was the 14th case in Oklahoma County,” said Fiddler, 48. "There are a lot of people in Oklahoma County. What are the odds?”
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Fortunately for Fiddler, she had odds of a different kind in her favor — her age.
Of the seven Oklahomans who have died this year from the West Nile virus, none have been younger than 60. Five of the victims were between the ages of 80 and 87.
In retrospect, Fiddler said she is grateful she outlasted the potentially deadly virus as well as she did.
Fiddler experienced flu-like symptoms with muscle aches, cold chills, a low-grade fever and chronic fatigue for more than two weeks. She spent most of her time in bed, stressing over her bed-ridden state and the sunshine peering in through her bedroom window.
"I love to garden and golf all the time, and here I was unable to move, completely exhausted, and it's beautiful outside,” she said. "Of course, the toughest part was not knowing what was wrong.”
Blood test results took 11 days.
"When I found out I had contracted West Nile, I was shocked,” Fiddler said. "But, in another sense, I wasn't. I work out all the time on my back porch. I love being outside, and I will forever be convinced that's where I was bitten by the mosquito.
"I used to think spraying around me was enough. I've never liked bug spray.”
Not anymore.
"Now I spray my skin all the time,” Fiddler added. "And so do my friends.”
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
James William Cook Sr. , OK-Victim
Faces of West Nile: Even the 'strongest man in the world' wasn't safe from virus
James William Cook Sr.
By Ron Jackson, Staff Writer--CUSHING
James William Cook Sr. was the undisputed "strongest man in the world” to his children. A man who once fought his way out of a coma following a major car wreck.
So when Cook died from a mosquito bite Sept. 28 — becoming one of seven Oklahomans to die from the West Nile virus this year — his loved ones were shocked.
"A mosquito,” said Jim Cook Jr., 49, of Agra in disbelief. "It's still hard to believe that's what killed my dad. To me, he was the strongest man in the world.
James William Cook Sr.By Ron Jackson, Staff Writer--CUSHING
James William Cook Sr. was the undisputed "strongest man in the world” to his children. A man who once fought his way out of a coma following a major car wreck.
So when Cook died from a mosquito bite Sept. 28 — becoming one of seven Oklahomans to die from the West Nile virus this year — his loved ones were shocked.
"A mosquito,” said Jim Cook Jr., 49, of Agra in disbelief. "It's still hard to believe that's what killed my dad. To me, he was the strongest man in the world.
"If he could die like that, any of us could.”
Cook Sr., 81, of Cushing and his family discovered the randomness of the deadly West Nile virus, which experts say is most harmful when it preys on youngest and oldest among us. For the Cook family, the West Nile virus is no longer just a disease heard on the news.
It's personal. "My father's doctor told us he used to go home each evening and sit out on his porch,” said Betty Cook, 50, of Coyle and the eldest of six Cook children. "After watching what this disease did to my father, he said he wouldn't do that anymore.”
The end was slow and agonizing for the elder Cook.
Dizziness suddenly plagued him. He felt like he was in a fog. He became nauseous and weak.
"We first took him to the hospital here in Cushing, but they failed to diagnose what was wrong,” said daughter Terrie Ostmeyer, 45, of Cushing. "For a while, we thought maybe he needed new glasses. I took him to the eye doctor twice.”
But the dizziness continued.
Putting family first
Only a year earlier James Cook was doing what he loved to do — work.
Over the years he was a truck driver, a traveling evangelist and a butcher. He was never idle. Even in his final years, he sought employment, working at Wal-Mart for a time and even a local car wash.
Before his death, he even boldly applied for work at the Cimarron Correctional Facility — a prison in Cushing. He wanted to be a correctional officer.
"They told him he was too old,” Betty Cook said with a laugh. "He was upset. He said, ‘Can they do that?' ”
James Cook prided himself on being a strong man.
Grandchildren often hung on his outstretched arms for fun. Years earlier, Jim Cook witnessed his father balance two 75-pound boxes of beef in the palms of his outstretched hands to the amusement and wonderment of his younger co-workers.
Family meant everything to him. He treated his wife, children and grandchildren to wiener roasts, picnics, camping trips, and vacations to places such as Colorado and California.
And he sacrificed for them.
"I remember one time when I was in fifth-grade,” Betty Cook recalled. "I walked through the front door, and I saw Dad sitting in his chair with his legs extended. The soles of his shoes had been worn through, and he must have cut some cardboard from a meat box to use as a cushion on the cement floor.
"I thought, ‘Gee, Dad needs new shoes.”
Betty choked back the tears.
"Then I looked down at my shoes,” she continued. "I was wearing new black and white oxfords.”
‘Tell everyone we know'
Four years ago at the age of 77, Cook suffered severe head trauma in a car accident. He spent 49 days in the hospital, 10 of which were spent in a coma.
He made a full recovery, and took advantage of his second chance.
Morning coffee was almost always followed by a trip to the front porch, where he'd ease into the worn pads of his metal swing and listen to the wind chimes.
Summer nights also beckoned him to his front porch swing — the spot where his family thinks he was ultimately infected by a mosquito bite.
"He loved to sit outside,” said Wilma Cook, his wife of 50 years. "A lot of times I'd find him on the swing asleep.”
Then one August day Cook became overwhelmed by a dizziness he called, "the blind staggers.” The ailment made no sense to those most intimate with his life.
Finally, on Sept. 8, his family admitted him into the VA Medical Center in Oklahoma City. Doctors diagnosed him with the West Nile virus eight days later. Within two weeks, Cook was dead.
"The doctor told us to tell everyone we know about the West Nile virus,” Terrie Ostmeyer said. "Tell our family, our friends, people at our church ... everyone.”
No one needs to tell her 9-year-old daughter, though.
Alexa Ostmeyer visited her grandfather's bedside before his death. As usual, he mustered enough strength to playfully stick his tongue out at his granddaughter.
She smiled despite the sorrow.
"He struggled really hard, but he said, ‘I love you,' ” Alexa recalled. "Then he squeezed my hand real tight.”
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Robert Moore, ND survivor
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Sunday, August 26, 2007
Matthew Arambula, Bakersfield, CA
 MSNBC.com |
West Nile Virus survivor recommends prevention
KGET-TV
A second survivor of the West Nile Virus came forward Thursday, talking about the dangers of the deadly virus. This comes after the health department issued another warning to Kern County residents. The health department said all residents need to take the threat of the deadly virus more seriously.A second survivor of the West Nile Virus came forward Thursday, talking about the dangers of the deadly virus.
This comes after the health department issued another warning to Kern County residents.
The health department said all residents need to take the threat of the deadly virus more seriously.
In the past, they've stressed West Nile affects children and the elderly more than others, but like one West Nile Virus survivor said, he didn't know it's the middle-aged people, from 30-60 years old, that may be most at risk.
"I don't know where I contracted it," said West Nile Virus survivor Matthew Arambula, 38. "It couldn't have been at work. At 6 a.m., mosquitoes are out then, or at the ball field with my kids, I don't even know where I got bit."
Arambula never thought he could catch West Nile Virus, but a call from a local blood bank broke the news to him.
"Houchin [Blood Bank] called, 'Matthew, we have something to tell you ... don't get scared,'" Arambula explained. "I said, 'What's wrong?' . They said I had West Nile . and asked how I'd been feeling ... I said, 'Well, my back's sore, I can't get out of bed, I'm going to call in sick.' They said, 'Go see a doctor right away.'"
People like Arambula were the focus of a health department news conference Thursday.
Director of Disease Control Dr. Boyce Dulan said mosquitoes don't care how old you are when they bite, so the focus for all residents in Kern County, the epicenter of West Nile, is prevention.
"Don't get bitten and we can put a lid on this disease," Dulan said.
Statewide there are 137 cases of West Nile Virus with 78 cases in Kern County. Fresno only has nine cases of West Nile Virus.
Two weeks ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for Kern County after seeing the alarming number of West Nile cases.
The emergency funds freed up nearly $200,000 to help Kern County fight the bite.
Rob Quiring with Kern Mosquito and Vector Control said last week's aerial spraying killed 90 percent of mosquitoes in their test pods, but said they've still got a long way to go in treating mosquito breeding grounds.
Meantime, Arambula said beware.
"Protect yourself, protect your kids," he said. "Don't think it can't happen to you because it can . We used to joke about it at work . a little mosquito can't bring down a big guy ... well, it did."
The state has provided thousands of boxes of insect repellant to the local health department. They will be giving out a Cutter insect repellant at public events in the future.
Visit WestNile.ca.gov, CDPH.ca.gov, CDC.gov/westnile, or co.kern.ca.us/health.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20416488/
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Former police chief DuPey gets West Nile-IL
Former police chief DuPey gets West Nile
August 25, 2007
HAMMOND -- Former Hammond Police Chief Frank DuPey Sr. is hospitalized with West Nile virus, according to his wife, Lake County Commissioner Frances "Fran" DuPey.Frank DuPey has spent more than a week in St. Margaret Mercy Medical Center, his wife said Friday.
"He's past the really critical time as far as surviving, which is the most important thing, because 43 percent of people his age who get this don't make it," DuPey said.
She said her husband ran a fever over 103 degrees for several days, and needed to be wrapped in cooling blankets at the hospital to keep his temperature down.
"He has been sick more than two weeks. At first, doctors thought he had a regular bacteria, and treated him with antibiotics," Fran DuPey said. "But he just kept getting worse."
State health officials this week reported two probable human cases of
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