The series of serious complications mark the latest example of a dangerous and deadly flu season nationwide and in Texas.
Brian Herndon, 51, was diagnosed with the flu on January 4. He was admitted to a Fort Worth hospital the following day with pneumonia and quickly went into septic shock.
The husband and father of two was airlifted to Baylor Hospital in Dallas on January 6 where he has been for the past four weeks, most of that time intubated and in and out of consciousness.
He spoke with WFAA via Skype from his hospital room Sunday and in a voice just above a whisper shared what the last month has been like
"One minute you've got the flu and the next minute you're septic," Herndon said.
Jaye Herndon says her husband had no underlying medical conditions that would make him more susceptible to more than just typical flu symptoms, like high fever and aches.
"He had a 104.7 temperature right away," Herndon said. "And then he had trouble breathing. We didn't wait, we went to the ER. It was that quick."
Effects of the septic shock led to blood clots in his extremities. Earlier this month both of his feet and lower legs were amputated right above the ankle.
His wife, a nurse by profession, says he will likely lose most of his fingers as well.
She hopes he can move to a rehabilitation stage of recovery in the coming weeks, but for now, it is still day by day.
"Right now I'm still in 'whatever he needs mode'," Herndon said. "That's what you're focused on and then you trade out with a family member and you go home and take care of the kids."
Friends have set up a GoFundMe to help when Brian Herndon begins rehabilitation and will need to acquire prosthetics.
To do that they need to grow cultures, and that takes 48 hours. Also I'm aware that it's unlikely to get a full picture (medically) because this information is private and confidential. Would it be something that they keep from the patient as well as his next of kin?
It's a pity they didn't use the protocol developed by Dr Paul Marik for sepsis. He has some astoundingly good results. It may have saved his feet. I would also check for diabetes in this patient as well.
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