COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) – An Ohio father is detailing the serious dangers that could come with the flu.
Brad Boler says his family’s lives will never be the same after their daughter came down with the flu a week ago.
“It’s a nightmare,” he said. “It’s like every day I wake up to the nightmare.”
Boler said his 4-year-old daughter Locklynn and her two siblings tested positive for the flu when they got checked at an area urgent care.
But the next day, Locklynn was having trouble breathing. So, they brought her to the hospital.
Locklynn’s father said a doctor sent them home with medicine and a nebulizer for breathing treatments.
However, a little more than 24 hours later, her health declined rapidly.
“She jumped out of bed and ran toward the bathroom door, and then I heard a thud,” Boler said. “I looked over, and she was laying on the ground.”
Locklynn was rushed to a hospital in Chillicothe.
“They had to do three rounds of CPR on her before they finally got a pulse,” he said.
A crew then flew Locklynn to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
“They came in and told us that she had massive amounts of brain injuries,” he said. “She’ll never be able to walk again, probably.”
Boler said his daughter spent more than two days in a coma, but she’s awake now and off the ventilator.
“The fact that she’s alive makes me hopeful, but when I just sit down and think about it, I get angry,” he said. “But I think that’s just one of those emotions I’m still processing through.”
As Boler sits in the hospital with his little girl, he hopes her situation saves someone else’s life.
“I used to be that kind of person that was like, ‘Oh, it’s the flu, you’ll be OK,’” he said. “I’m telling you this thing can take your babies away from you.”
Dr. Jason Newland, who oversees infectious diseases at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, said this year’s flu season hit a lot of people hard.
“This influenza season has reminded us how severe influenza can be,” he said. “This year was unlike the previous three years and it came after the winter holiday.”
Dr. Newland said it’s a good idea to see a doctor if your child is breathing fast, not eating well or drinking, or not acting right. He also said it’s not too late to get a flu shot.
The family is collecting donations during this time while they care for Locklynn. Locklynn Strong T-shirts are also being sold to help support the family.
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