Two H1N1 Patients, Two Different Outcomes

(CBS)  Hugh Estlinbaum sits for hours encouraging his very sick son.

"We're just floored by how well you're doing. How hard you're fighting," Estlinbaum said. "How hard you're fighting. We can see it, Tony, we can see it."

Above his sedated son Tony - photos of the all-American 10 year old. Tony got the H1N1 virus last Sunday, and began fighting for his life.

"You are strong. You are special, and you can do anything," his dad said.

Just outside, Tony's mother Lizzy Estlinbaum keeps a round-the-clock vigil.

"I'll go in and talk to him," Lizzy said. "But I cry so easy, and I don't want him to hear me cry."

Carolyn Howard's daughter Leteasha is another critically ill H1N1 patient in the intensive care unit of Oklahoma City's Children's Hospital, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann.

Heavily sedated, she's been clinging to life for the last three weeks.

"I rub her hand and tell her I love her," Howard said. "And we're ready for her to come home."

At home, this 10 year old loves to sing and dance. But in Oklahoma, one of America's hardest-hit states by H1N1, Leteasha got sick and never got better.

A machine called an ECMO may be her last hope. It oxygenates her blood, acting as her heart and lungs to give her sick body a fighting chance.

"I just want her to open her eyes, and let me know she's alright," Howard said.

Tony and Leteasha's rooms are 40 feet apart at the hospital. But doctors say their chances of recovery are miles apart.

Tony's improving slowly, day by day.

"It's like a little bit more weight is taken off every day," said Lizzy Estlinbaum.

But Leteasha Howard's family knows, she is not responding.

"What explains why one child is doing well and the other child is not doing well?" Strassmann asked.

"Great question. I wish we knew the answer to it," said Dr. Cameron Mantor. "This is something that's new to us."

CBSNews.com Special Report: The H1N1 Threat

Leteasha has weight issues and asthma. Not enough, doctors say, to explain why she's sinking as Tony improves.

Forty-three of America's 593 H1N1 deaths have been children under 18.So far, none of them in Oklahoma where two families are at the crossroads of this mystery virus.

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For those wishing to help out the Estlinbaum family featured in the story, donations can be made through Citizens Bank of Edmond, routing number 103002251,
account number 5220874.

[shelley80130]

Just wanted you to know I am praying for all of you.
god bless

[londonbridges4sale]

You know Steve it's wonderful how you've been best buds with the dad of the little boy since school days. It's wonderful as well that bond has helped you to encourage the entire family and help them stay motivated. Since it's obvious the family of the little girl may be overwhelmed and not have "their thinking caps on" for mad money motivations due to the illness of their daughter, maybe you could do the humane thing and REACH YOUR HAND OUT since it's obviously not broken...encouragement by doing - humanity in action. Now I know that is probably not your mentality since they haven't know you since grade school, but believe me, that's no excuse for CBS journalists to not offer fair and balanced journalism.

They should not be involved in pushing for one and not the other, nor acting like vultures trying to get a byline! Especially since they haven't known you since you were in school either. Besides all the chummy feelings, my remarkes were not geared as a negative to your friend's efforts and the concern of a supportive family. You are correct, every family should when able, do this type of strategic planning. My remarkes were meant for and directed at the disparity of good journalism which should bring about clarity and social change, equality and fairness.

CBS should still be held accountable so they can produce better journalism because WE are the audience! Sure I can care more about the boy than I do the girl, but I don't simply for the mere fact they are both human! CBS is under no obligation, but they have a social responsibility to provide good will to the community. A community they choose to serve!

The perks of being put on blast and having strangers involved in very sad business of these children's fight for their lives is just that - AWARENESS. Most don't just see the boy, they see both - and all the others to boot. The least we can do is try to donate to both if our hearts say so. Mine says so. What sayeth yours?

Chumminess wins out, you just gonna sit there and high mind some rediculous relationship cause that's all you can do? Maybe, but I won't get in the boat with you because I think together, we can all do more. So where's the address to donate for the girl too, do you have it? Why don't you just ask them, encourage them to do as your friend did. Lead by example since you are right across the hall (that's what the article states). Your friend's child will be no less blessed, probably more so.

You could just do it because the border of your good and tidy friendship has a chance to enlarge its borders and bless someone, even a complete stranger, with the light of love from your enduring friendship. Go on Steven, ask them for a donation address, or just to set one up. This small advice might be all they need.

[4petsandmore]

Is it possible that one family has insurance and the other has state assistance for medical coverage? If that is the case, the taxpayers like Steven are already helping out. With state assistance for medical coverage,there is very little if any out of pocket expenses for a family.

[momofGG]

Has anyone checked these children for PK deficiency (pyruvate kinase deficiency)? It is an enzyme deficiency that causes the body to not build enough new red blood cells. These children most likely are NAD deficient and have high reticulocyte counts. They should also be checked for hemolytic anemia. This would explain why these children are struggling to get better. Medicines could make matters worse. They need vitamin supplements (B and D). Hope this will help these children or others. As much as 25% of our population has a PK deficiency. We ALL need to be on b complex and D vitamins. And NO vaccines ... they just exaccerbate the problems.

[Orlandojon]

Illustrates how closing the Mexican border last fall would have been a smart thing to do.

[dsnj1-2009]

From what I have heard, almost everyone WILL be exposed to the virus this year. In our office, although told otherwise, most people, sick with swine flu, came into work, coughing and sneezing. There was nothing we could do, except I washed my hands every 5 minutes, and this worked. I fought off the virus, was exposed to it-the best part is, once you have been exposed, you will not be able to get the virus again, so in my opinion, if you are not young or elderly (which you probably should get the shot), stay exposed to it, but remember-wash your hands VERY OFTEN it works.

[debra1929]

Thank you for this story...I too think they should gradually take the
little girl off of the machine. I am not a doctor or scientist, but I feel both patients need to get Vitamin C into their systems. Not the vitamin C pill, but 100% juice with no additives. H1N1 is something that is moving very fast, so it will take something simple but potent to stop it. Everybody has access to orange juice. Children are unable to know or feel this virus, but adults, if they pay attention can feel it right away. Please let the parents know they are in the prayers of many. God still works miracles...

[averagejohn]

Vitamin C? Not enough for someone with one foot in deaths doorway. Prayer? Access to Life himself who walked back through that door.

[averagejohn]

Two children, both critical, one responding, one unable. Two families clinging to hope during a marathon. On the sidelines voices both cheer and boo. The clock is ticking. Which way to run? One voice offers a strap to bind hope to hand. One offers guilt for weakness. On goes the race. Tired and unsure. Just need to know the way and ability to get there. I see a light. I see THE light. Got to make it.
Scared I won't. I love my baby girl. I love my son. Voices continue.
Who to believe? Run for the light. Cling to hope. Good news, bad news.
So tired. Scared to rest. Love good. Not over yet.

[averageguy72]

Wow! How true.I'm speechless average john at how well you nailed what tony, liz and I are going through. Thank you. From both TT's family and mine, Thank you.
Hugh Estlinbaum

[marybobik]

Definitely nailed the feelings.

[dnamj]

Researchers in Australia published this week that for preganant women, it's a low IG2 level, which could be helped by gamma globulin shots (just like in Hepatitis exposure). It's worth a try.

[PCROPLEY]

Mark Strassmann:
Leteasha Howard and Tony Estlinbaum may benefit from
treatment used on an H1N1 critically ill patient in London,
England. This patient was INTRAVENOUSLY given the drug
ZANAMIVIR whose trade name is RELENZA, available in the
US through GlaxoSmithKline.
These are the details for the full medical article:
Lancet. 2009 Sep 3. [Epub ahead of print]
H1N1 pneumonitis treated with intravenous zanamivir.
Dr I Michael Kidd FRCPatha, Jim Down FRCAb,
Eleni Nastouli FRCPatha, Rob Shulman DHCPharmb,
Paul R Grant PhDa, David CJ Howell MRCPb and
Mervyn Singer FRCPb
Department of Virology, also Department of Critical Care
University College London Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust, London, NW1 2BU, UK
PMID: 19733390 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Article available online 3 September 2009 through
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0140-6736(09)61528-2

Also see this article
http://www.smh.com.au/world/science/doctors-gamble-saves-swine-flu-victim-20090904-falq.html
DOCTORS' GAMBLE SAVES SWINE FLU VICTIM
published in the Sydney Morning Herald, September 4, 2009 - 11:42AM
Enterprising doctors saved the life of a young cancer patient
infected by swine flu by making unlicensed use of Relenza, an
antiviral drug, The Lancet reports today. The 22-year-old
patient's immune system had been weakened by Hodgkin's disease
and chemotherapy, damaging her defences against the A(H1N1)virus.
She was admitted to London's University College Hospital in
July suffering from shortness of breath and fluid build-up
in both lungs. Neither Tamiflu, a pill that is the frontline
treatment for swine flu, nor broad-spectrum antibiotics had
any effect. By the third day, she was placed on an artificial
respirator.
Doctors administered Relenza, also known by its lab name as
Zanamivir, in its licensed form as a nebulised spray. But
this remedy also failed and, over the next two weeks,
her condition steadily worsened. With her life in the balance,
the doctors gambled on giving her Relenza INTRAVENOUSLY,
using a batch specially provided by the drug's manufacturers,
GlaxoSmithKline. They backed this with a high dose of
corticosteroids to tackle lung inflammation. Her condition
improved dramatically and, within 48 hours, she was taken off
artificial respiration and transferred out of the hospital's
intensive care unit and into a general ward. The unorthodox
treatment had to be approved by the hospital's oversight
committee and the patient's next of kin as it is not a
recognised strategy for swine flu. Most of the deaths from
swine flu have been related to severe respiratory failure,
especially from people with an underlying medical condition.
Physicians Michael Kidd and Mervyn Singer believe their
patient's lungs were so impaired by the virus that she could
not absorb Relenza in its spray form,so they took a final
gamble on an intravenous drip.Further investigation will
confirm whether the treatment can find a wider use beyond
a single case report, they said.
Mark Strassmann-Please give this information to the doctors
involved, if you feel this would help.
Anne-Marie in Sydney, Australia

[save_the_girl]

Imagine trying to rest when you have a machine in the room banging away non-stop. Of course the poor girls not going to improve. Am i the only one who sees this?

[frogbutt1979]

save_the_girl your voice has been heard. thanks for caring