Nurse shares images warning others after son entered 10-day coma after getting flu

A former nurse has released images of her son after he got seriously ill from the flu.

The 'super fit' son of Claire was rushed to hospital after he became seriously unwell with the disease last month.

Claire thought son Jack Hollingsworth, 19, had developed Covid, but the test came back negative.

The former nurse knew something was seriously wrong though when Jack's temperature spiked and his heart rate rapidly increased.

With his condition detreating, Claire rushed Jack to Ysbyty Gwynedd’s Emergency Department on 15 December, where he was taken into intensive care and put into a coma by doctors.

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Claire, from Llangristiolus in Anglesey, Wales, said: "Jack had been unwell for a few days, we all thought it was a bad cold or even Covid.

"The Covid test came back negative and towards the end of the week he became more unwell, he had a very high temperature and a very fast heart rate.

“I couldn’t wait any longer, I’m an ex nurse so I knew my son wasn’t very well and I felt there was a risk that we could lose him.

“I drove Jack in my car to the department and ran inside to get some help.

“The receptionist could see how frantic I was and immediately alerted the clinical staff who rushed him straight into Resus.

“It was apparent that Jack was extremely sick as the team decided he needed ventilating straight away.

“It was the worst moment of my life seeing my son like that.”

Test results revealed that Jack had contracted flu, which had later developed into pneumonia.

Dr Terry Collingwood, critical care consultant, said: “When Jack arrived with us in the Intensive Care Unit his condition was life-threatening.

“He needed complex medical support to survive the initial 48 hours.

“During that time we received advice and guidance from the Specialist Respiratory Failure service at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester on how best to manage Jack’s condition, for which we were extremely grateful.”

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But on Christmas Eve, Jack's condition improved as he was brought out of the coma.

The teenager spent ten days in the coma, with Claire warning the dangers of flu even to younger people.

She added: "During the 10 days Jack was in a coma there were times we thought we were going to lose him.

“A parent should never have to see their child so ill and it was just heartbreaking for us as parents to see our baby ventilated.

“Jack is super fit, having just completed an advanced diploma in outdoor activities but he demonstrated how a young person can become suddenly overwhelmed by influenza once they reach a point that their immune system burns out.

“At this point, he deteriorated from a boy with a flu like illness to severely unwell in the space of a couple of hours.

“It was a reminder of how dangerous flu can be, even for those who are young and fit and we would continue to encourage anyone who is eligible to get their flu jab after seeing what it nearly did to our son."

And as a nice late Christmas present for himself and his family, Jack was able to go home on Boxing Day.

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Since then, the teen has returned to hospital to thank staff who ultimately saved his life.

Jack said: "It was great to come back and see the staff who cared for me, as I was in a coma I don’t remember what any of them looked like so it was lovely to meet them and thank them personally.

"I will be forever grateful to them for saving my life."