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This year for the first time, the flu vaccine is available free for children aged from two to 12 years. Here, Nora O’Hare recounts her daughter Aralynn’s life-threatening experience with the flu, and tells TheJournal.ie why she’s urging other parents to take advantage of the free vaccine.
“WHEN I SAY Aralynn was a healthy little girl, she would have been really healthy, and very rarely sick.”
In February 2018, Aralynn O’Hare caught the flu. She was four years old at the time and “a picture of health.” Within 48 hours, she was in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in Crumlin Hospital.
How quickly things can change
“It was a Friday when I went to pick Aralynn up from Montessori. When she came out, she started complaining saying she felt a bit cold, which was unlike her,” says Nora. “She did a tonne of activities at that stage. So I kind of went, ‘oh you’ll be grand, put on a coat’ and didn’t think anything of it.”
After Montessori, Aralynn went swimming and played tennis, but Nora knew something was wrong when she didn’t want to go into the play centre afterwards.
“We went home that evening and she started running a temperature. She hadn’t had a cough or a cold… nothing. My mother was staying that night and she said, ‘that’s a very high temperature, you should bring her straight to the hospital.’ And I thought my mam was overreacting at the time. I gave her Calpol, and her temperature came down a bit.”
“But during the night, she started breathing funnily. I thought it was croup, because my other little girl had croup a few times, so I was doing all the things you do for croup.”
The next morning, Aralynn got up and was looking for her breakfast – a sign that she was feeling better. However, her breathing had become irregular so Nora brought her to the GP. From there, she went straight into hospital.
“By one o’clock on Sunday morning, she was being intubated because she had caught bacterial tracheitis, and her trachea was closing over,” says Nora. “We’re talking about a really, really short period of time.”
“But at that stage, they still didn’t know that she had the flu. They thought, ‘we’ve caught this in time, now she’ll be grand.’ But then it all happened.”
‘It was like something out of a nightmare’
By Monday, Nora and her husband Adrian were told that they had a really sick child, and by Tuesday they were told she’d have to be flown to Sweden for access to an ECMO machine – a machine which provides support to people whose heart and lungs are unable to function adequately.
They said her heart was starting to shut down. It was like something out of a nightmare. Even now as I’m talking to you, I’m nearly emotional thinking back on it.
“We signed all the forms and everything. The doctors told us there was a 50% chance that she would die, even when she went on ECMO. But even if she survived that, there was a very high probability she’d be left with severe brain damage going down to moderate brain damage and all the rest of it. So the chances that she’d come out perfect were very, very slight.”
“They said she was the sickest child in ICU. I think that they were trying to let us know how sick she was. I didn’t know at the time, but we were put in this butterfly room, which is right beside the ward. Afterwards, somebody told me that usually you’re only put there if they think your child isn’t going to make it.”
Trying one other option
Before Aralynn went to Sweden, her doctor suggested trying one more thing.
“Dr Healy said we could try this filtration, like dialysis, where they take the blood out of your body and they oxygenate it and, they put it back in. And they did that. And it was a long struggle for her, but basically, she never ended up going to Sweden.”
After one month in ICU on a ventilator, Aralynn recovered enough to be sent to a ward.
“In the wards then, all of her limbs had sort of wasted from that month in ICU, and her muscle. So she ended up in a wheelchair for a while, and at this stage they didn’t know the extent of her brain damage. They felt that she may have been brain damaged and that would affect her ability to speak and walk and all of the normal things, so we didn’t know what to expect.”
“I can remember they said to us that she had sustained some brain damage, called cerebral microbleeds, these tiny little beads all over her brain. She’s just very lucky that none of them were larger.”
After another month recovering in hospital and doing physiotherapy, Aralynn could go home.
“The worst part for her, I think when I look at it now, was that she couldn’t do what other children could. I remember her saying about her little sister, ‘she’s faster than me now mammy, I can only walk and she can run.’ She had to learn how to do things, how to climb, how to run – all these kind of things again.”
Aralynn today
More than two years on, Aralynn is seven-years-old, in first class in school and thriving.
“If you met her, you’d see that you would never ever know that there was anything wrong with her. She still has damage to her lungs and she has to take a nebuliser morning and night but other than that, she’s perfect.”
“If I had known that a child, a perfectly healthy child, could get that sick in 24 hours, there is no way that they would have not had the flu vaccine. I always thought, and maybe it was my own ignorance, that the flu was a long suffering process. I never thought it was like a sudden onset, that somebody could just go from being perfect and then 24 hours later be on a ventilator. I didn’t think that.”
If she didn’t have the flu, she wouldn’t have gotten bacterial tracheitis.
“I thought that this killed elderly people, people who were already sick, children with underlying conditions. I didn’t know that somebody who was perfectly healthy, like Aralynn could be so unwell from it. She was skiing two weeks before. She was so healthy. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible.”
Dr Lucy Jessop, Director of the National Immunisation Office, highlights that children are more likely than adults to catch influenza: “It’s estimated that 20-30% of children develop influenza during each influenza season, compared to 5-10% of adults.”
“Flu in children can cause pneumonia, bronchitis, painful ear infections, croup and bronchiolitis,” she says. “Influenza can also make chronic diseases like serious heart disease or asthma worse.”
Today, Nora can’t stress enough the importance of vaccinating your child against the flu.
“Everybody who knows me, anybody who’s close to me, they all get their kids vaccinated against the flu. They would have known Aralynn and they would have known that she wasn’t some sort of delicate child. She was hearty and healthy.”
Children aged two to 12 are eligible to get the flu vaccine free of charge. Make an appointment with your GP or pharmacist for the free flu vaccine. Find out more about the flu vaccine for children here.
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Can’t blame landlords, the actions of this gov AND the opposition in calling for and imposing the ban has led to this situation. The scare mongering of the opposition and labelling small landlords as money hungry vultures is driving hundreds of 1-2 property landlords out of the market. The housing problem is not now and never has been the responsibility of landlords. The Gov and the opposition are 100% equally to blame for this situation.
@Martin O Connell: Rent up 82% since 2010 compared to EU average of 18%. The housing crisis wasn’t caused by landlords but rents are the highest they’ve ever been which a lot of landlords have done very well from. I would also say landlords make up a big part of the FFFG voter base so the only victims here are the people who are just trying to live in this hugely distorted housing market. The economy is already suffering over it and will likely end very badly again.
@Shane Carroll: you are ignoring the rent drop that happened prior to 2010 that didn’t happen in the rest of the EU. There were laws upheld there so tenants and the government could just insist on reduced rent regardless of expenses. Many a landlord was in negative equity and loosing money renting. The government then added taxes and charges while reducing rent payments. They were warned this would cause future problems but the public loved it and didn’t care. ERSI warned that investment was needed in building but the public said it was just to help the governments buddies so no investment made. So we ended up here following populist policies. Your figures are misleading because it is selective and ignores what happened
@Martin O Connell: It’s nonsense to say that the government and opposition are equally to blame.. but that’s what they want you to think. Had we had enough new housing provided, your ‘market’ would have ben left alone. So it’s the government and their SUPPORTERS who are solely and fully to blame. I wonder who you the majority of landlords voted for last time..
@Craic_a_tower: More baseless supposition and conjecture.. so if you’re not a masquerading little pedant, let’s have material evidence to back up your false claims today.. don’t come back with a volley of disgusting personal abuse like you normally do, now let’s have the facts to back up your claims;
‘They were warned this would cause future problems but the public loved it and didn’t care.’
‘public said it was just to help the governments buddies so no investment made.’
We ended up here because we have followed FFG policies, nothing else. They were told several times that each of THEIR policies to increase demand without increasing supply would lead to this. That is the fact behind the situation, not some fantasy that ‘they made us do it’..
But you carry on blaming those least responsible and excusing those who caused the mess..
Landlords would play ball if the government didn’t make it so dam unattractive to be a landlord. So many free houses because there’s a genuine fear that bad tenants (few an all as they are) might never have to vacate or pay rent.
@Jim Casey: it’s a no fault eviction ban. Bad and non rent paying tenants can still be evicted. https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/law-banning-no-fault-evictions-during-winter-passed
@Jim Casey: it’s a no fault eviction ban. Bad and non rent paying tenants can still be evicted. http://www.irishlegal.com/articles/law-banning-no-fault-evictions-during-winter-passed
@David Hopkins: but it takes at least 1 year to get them out.. 1 year without any rental income… good luck if landlord is still paying the mortgage for that and rent doesn’t cover it
@David Hopkins: it still can take 2 years to successfully evict a tenant. The fear is SF will get into power and make evictions take longer. Would you work for 2 years for free? Simple financial decision takes in risk and when risk increases you take your money out of that investment.
@Craic_a_tower: The fear is ‘SF’ lol… The reality of today is that we have a severe shortage of housing (I know you think moving older people out of their life-long home is a method to solve it, ironic being a landlord complaining about people impinging on your rights) and need more houses, not more landlords.. But I agree that this model is not the solution, we certainly should not be dependent upon the profitability of the rental market to keep ordinary decent families in their ‘homes’.
@Craic_a_tower: you don’t ‘ work’ to hard at your chosen speculative career. I had to point out to you your legal obligations as a landlord only last week. Whinge about bad tenants but being ignorant of your own obligations.
Hopefully this decision will be the end of this government, keep the pressure on them.
@Paul Cullen: why
@Margaret Mcgarry: They are not performing or doing anything positive for the country. If you have no interest in doing your job, you are usually fired.
@David Corrigan: they are going from scandal to scandal. Sf also needs to be careful as they will frighten the landlords out of the market.
@Brian Madden: True Brian. SF will only have one shot at the title and if they screw it up, then they have nobody to blame but themselves. They have waited long enough for the opportunity and if they go at it with the wrong attitude then it’s game over for them.
Ireland has turned into a country of I’m all right Jack’s and duck everyone else.
It would be easier to move to the US and rent a property, than rent one here. That is how big the housing problem is here. Buy flights from the deposit that is returned from the landlord here, walk in to an Irish Bar in Boston or New York, ask the bar tender if they know anyone that could help you get a rental property. You will help, very likely get a place, and very likely get a job too within a few days, and someone will very likely help bridge the gap and help you out while you wait for your new place. You will build up a contact list very quickly, with good people that know what are going through! Will you be an illegal immigrant? Most definitely yes, but times are hard, and lots of people here are just working to pay rent if they are lucky, or living in a car or tent. It’s absolutely ridiculous.
Obviously it’s a very emotional and difficult thing to do due to personal reasons etc., but i am very sure that if a person was willing to try that, they would have a greater chance of success getting a home.
If the landlords are not happy here, and renters are not happy here, the common denominator that is making both unhappy has to be the Government!
Currently, nothing here is being done for the greater good of humanity! What is being done is to satisfy greedy investors etc.
@Michael Mc Gee: Man you need some perspective. Rents in Boston are way higher than even Dublin. Have a look at the social support systems in place and tell me again that someone who can’t afford rent in Ireland would be better off there
How about post a balanced article from the other side of the story. All the people blocking from taking back ownership of their own property because of the evection ban.
@Sean Minihane: That’s what 90% of these comments are Sean.. landlords who have been sold out by FFG.
In non RPZs rents are being increased by 40 to 75% in some cases in a blatant act of profiteering. There is virtually no regulation except a tenuous 3 property comparison. This can of course be manipulated by a group of landlords . In my town new rentals of a 3 bedroom house in an estate now average at 1600 euro in a small provincial town . This is shocking.
Absolutely disgusting and FFG should be behind bars for the way they’ve let this country go down the drain. For all the patting themselves on the shoulder they do, it is absolutely scandalous they get away with what they do. It’d make your blood f*ing boil!!!
If you rang up your local taxi firm every day and told then they were awful people got doing what they do and started telling people to refuse to get out of the car at the end of the trip or just not pay the fare, how long do you think it’ll be before they refuse to pick you up? Landlords didn’t cause the current crisis and have their hands tied as well. The ban was a last straw and shouldn’t have been enacted. All articles like this and in particular the comments following do is convince any current landlords to get out. Coupled with government policy that isn’t joined up with regulations changing every few months at short notice and promises of better tax treatment for rental always being considered but never implemented only deters any new entrants and convinces incumbents to leave.
@cearrbhaill: You make understandable points, Cearrbhaill.. but you should have started with the government policy part, then moved on to the emergency winter eviction ban.. The government caused this, I do wish that landlords would stop thinking that tenants and SF are the problem and put the blame where it actually lies.. again, notable that you though of everything else first and left ‘govt policy’ until last.. they are the problem.
@cearrbhaill: You are right of course ,there is no logic or sense to prolonging the eviction ban . It’s like a person having a health issue and hoping if they let it drift it will cure itself . And then you have airbnb ,it has altered the landscape beyond measure .Once people realised how handy and easy it was, long term renting with all its messy sides lost all its appeal . The govnt of course made a.dog’s dinner of it too , they forgot the wisdom of ‘fail to plan and plan to fail ‘
@cearrbhaill: You are right of course ,there is no logic or sense to prolonging the eviction ban . It’s like a person having a health issue and hoping if they let it drift it will cure itself . And then you have airbnb ,it has altered the landscape beyond measure .Once people realised how handy and easy it was, long term renting with all its messy sides lost all appeal . The govnt of course lost the plot , they forgot the wisdom of ‘fail to plan and plan to fail ‘
But what is the solution. Who has the solution. The answer is not who ever gets in government next just puts a eviction ban in place for months at a time. Its embarrassing watching any housing debate on TV or watching what goes on in the Dail , embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing. All any of our elected official, that we voted for to help run the country in all parties just want to shout over each other. All elected officials from all parties should be sitting down together to best resolve this crisis. As it stands now its not a FF/FF/SF/GREEN/LABOUR/INDEPENDENTS problem its all our problem. Let’s solve it first and then have a new government
@Michael Costello: You are correct. It is embarrassing. As a country, we have cowboys putting themselves forward as politicians. Half of them can’t write their own name. Then we have a population who keep electing those same politicians over and over again even though they are proven failures. MM was a senior member of the FF government who bankrupt the country. A decade later the same man is Taoiseach.
We just have to accept it. As a people we are thick and love being the laughing stock of the world.
@Michael Costello: FFG have had years to solve it, they are the problem not the solution. What you suggest will resolve nothing as this crisis is a failure of FFG ideology, which to a great extent they even deny, never mind want to change. The solution lies it the fastest possible supply of truly affordable housing and social housing mixture. The use of public owned land and land banks being ring fenced for this. Moratorium on all other construction until the supply deficit is showing a proper cooling of housing market in rental and purchase sectors.
The article is a little bias. People get a notice to quit not an eviction. The charity is allowed just make a statement that the government are wrong about measures to keep landlords is good in the long term. It glosses over the co parents are taking up two 2 bed places for a family of 3. A lot of emotions involved for a lot more complications than simply landlords are bad
@Craic_a_tower: You give the most knowledgeable comments on this site about the current situation. In my opinion it’s not tax or rising property prices that’s driving landlords out, as suggested by some free loaders, rather it’s the vast amount of anti landlord rules that are continuously being changed to suit the populist media agenda of the day. I, personally have sold several of mine and am looking forward to getting rid of the rest as soon as I can.
@Craic_a_tower: Ah, Casper’s back.. the hollow man. Pathetic little pedant, predictably reheating Leo’s gaslighting line..
You wouldn’t have a clue about the emotions involved, you aren’t capable of seeing in from any position other than yours.
Ffg have pursued a policy of increasing vulture funds ownership of the assets of Ireland. They take from the citizens and give to there wealthy overlords . To me they are traitors.
Once again the Journal omits critically facts concerning this lawful eviction. How much rent was Monica paying? Did she exhaust all available avenues to find other accommodations? Does she qualify for HAP? Has she contacted her local Social Protection Agency to help find accommodations? If she will be homeless after the eviction because she can not or does not want to stay with her relatives, has she tried to arrange temporary accommodations offered by Government similar to that given to Ukrainian refugees? My heart goes out to her and her family and I would gladly help her if my bungalow in Kilworth is suitable. Even though I am 76 years old and my wife is 81, we can still help those less fortunate than ourselves. Hope Monica contacts me.
@Don Hogan: You do in your hoop. I’ve seen your ‘generosity of spirit’ demonstrated on these articles, no sympathy whatsoever for tenants. Monica is one person, and you can speculate as much as you want but we have not enough houses.. I’ve been in her position, and you can shove your suggestions where the sun doesn’t shine. Easy for folks who are sitting pretty and who caused this mess by voting FFG to tell others to go to the ends of the earth.
Hotels evict 1000′s daily. Where do all those people go? I’ve seen elderly people staying in hotels.
Two words: rent strike!
@Rui Firmino: one way to increase landlords leaving the market in larger numbers.
have your say