Tony Leys

tleys@dmreg.com

Amber Gray’s family returned Monday to the hospital where she died, hoping to warn other Iowans about how dangerous the flu can be.

The Redfield 14-year-old died at Des Moines’ Mercy Medical Center on Dec. 28, 2014. She’d come down with what seemed like a minor illness a week earlier.

“She was fine, absolutely fine — just her normal self,” recalled her grandmother, Verla Kellar. The famliy had taken Amber to an urgent care clinic the Monday before, complaining of a sore throat. The staff there determined she had influenza, but said she should be able to recover with rest and plenty of fluid. That seemed sensible to her mother, Lisa Gray. “We thought, ‘Oh, it was just the flu,’” Gray said.

Kellar shook her head at the recollection. “We have learned since then that there is no such thing as ‘just the flu,’” she said.

The day after her clinic visit, Amber’s temperature spiked to 105 degrees and her symptoms worsened, apparently due to a secondary infection. She soon was being rushed to Mercy, where staff members put her on a ventilator to help her breathe. She would never regain full consciousness. After five days and several heart attacks, she died.

The family thanked doctors and nurses on Monday for doing all they could to save Amber. The teen had been vaccinated two weeks before becoming ill, but she took a nasal spray version, which has been discontinued after experts determined it wasn’t as effective as flu shots.

During their visit to the hospital Monday, Amber’s mother and grandmother brought along 250 tiny hats that they and their friends knitted or crocheted for newborn babies to wear. The hats were packaged in plastic bags, along with brochures about the flu and how to prevent it. The warning comes as Iowa prepares for an annual spike in flu cases, which usually comes in December or January.

Experts say nearly everyone older than 6 months should be vaccinated against the flu. This year’s version of the vaccine is a good match for the viruses that are starting to circulate, they say.

Amber’s mother and grandmother are strong believers in vaccination, even though it didn’t save her. “We’re glad we at least tried,” Lisa Gray said. “How would you feel if you didn’t do it and your child got sick and died? It could happen.”

Three Iowa children died from the flu the winter Amber died, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Two Iowa children died from the flu last winter, the department reported.

The family's baby-hat effort is part of a national campaign to get families thinking about the flu. “If we can save one family from having to go through what we went through, it will be worth it,” Kellar said.

Flu Q&A:

Q: How do I know if I have the flu or a cold?

A: The flu tends to come on suddenly and is marked by a fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, and runny or stuffy nose. Cold symptoms tend to be less severe and don't generally include fevers or muscle aches.

Q: Who is most vulnerable?

A: Senior citizens, young children and people with chronic health conditions, such as asthma, are most likely to suffer deadly complications, such as pneumonia. But the virus can be dangerous to previously healthy Iowans who weren't in any of these categories.

Q: What can I do to protect myself and my family?

A: Experts recommend flu vaccinations for nearly everyone older than 6 months. This year’s vaccine only comes in a shot, because a nasal-spray version turned out to be less effective.

Q: What should I do if I become ill?

A: Stay home, rest and drink plenty of fluids. Sneeze or cough into a tissue or your elbow to prevent spreading germs to others. Most people can recover safely at home with over-the-counter medications and plenty of rest.

Q: When should I seek medical attention?

A: If a person with flu is having trouble breathing, has blue skin coloring, is not waking up or interacting, or is not drinking enough fluids, he or she should be seen quickly by a doctor. One of the most serious signs is a person who seems to be getting better, then suddenly gets much worse, including with a high fever. That is often a sign of another, serious infection, which should be treated immediately.

Q: Should I seek anti-viral medications?

A: Anti-viral medications, such as Tamiflu, can shorten the duration and severity of the illness, but they lose effectiveness if given after a person has been ill for 48 hours. Doctors are most likely to prescribe such drugs to patients who have other chronic ailments, such as asthma. The drugs can have side effects, including nausea and diarrhea.