Val Ninnus youngest son Leigh, 14, fell victim to the fatal meningococcal disease last Monday, and was rushed from Northampton to Geraldton Regional Hospital in serious condition. Leigh and his mother were staying with friends in Northampton when th...
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Val Ninnus will not ask Santa for anything this Christmas given the events of last week.
Her youngest son Leigh, 14, fell victim to the fatal meningococcal disease last Monday, and was rushed from Northampton to Geraldton Regional Hospital in serious condition.
After responding well to treatment, Leigh was sent home on Thursday, but he still bears the scars of the rash that originally alerted doctors to the seriousness of his condition.
Leigh says he's glad to be home.
He said hospitals can get quite boring and he was put in isolation.
His mum says she's glad he's alive.
Leigh and his mother were staying with friends in Northampton when the full brunt of Leigh's infection appeared.
The first trip to the hospital and the keen softball and basketball player was sent home diagnosed with a virus.
But at the friend's house Leigh began to shake uncontrollably, and within an hour had broken out in a rash that was turning his feet a deep purple colour.
"I didn't want to be one of those hypochondriac mothers and take Leigh back to the hospital but i didn't know what else to do," Mrs Ninnus said.
Her friend's mother-in-law, who was a nurse, lives just across the street. She took one look at Leigh and ordered he be taken straight back to the hospital.
It was then that Northampton's new doctor Philip Ibukunoluwa recognised the rash and began treating Leigh for suspected meningococcal.
Leigh can barely remember the dash in the ambulance, he said the pain in his neck from the infection felt like he had broken something.
Pethadene suddenly made everything bearable- except, he said, the amount needles he endured.
At home in Karloo on friday Mrs Ninnus looked tired, but relieved.
"We just want to say thanks to all the staff at Northampton and Geraldton," she said.
"Without such quick diagnosis Leigh wouldn't be here," she said.
