‘AM I GOING TO DIE?’
HEARTBREAKING QUESTION FROM COVID-19 SURVIVOR, AGED 10:
A schoolboy asked his mum if he was going to die as he battled a rare condition linked to the coronavirus.
Doctors initially thought Charlie McPherson had appendicitis and removed his appendix at Sunderland Royal Hospital when he came down with excruciating stomach pains, uncontrollable high temperature and vomiting.
A routine swab before surgery found he had coronavirus and blood samples later showed he had the rare PIMSTS condition, thought to be caused as a delayed reaction to COVID-19.
He and mum Claire Gowland, 34, step-dad Lee Gowland, 35, and sister Ivy, two, had started to self-isolate at home in Seaburn as he was discharged, but Cl a ire’ s“mother’ s instinct” lead her to raise the alarm via NHS 111 when he continued to be unwell over the late May Bank Holiday.
The 10-year-old, who attends Fullwell Junior School, was admitted to Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where he was given Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy (IVIg) to help his immune system fight the syndrome and oxygen to help him breathe.
Claire, who had to remain in the RVI room with her son for his entire stay to help prevent further spread of the virus, said she thought was going to lose her little boy at times.
She said :“I just had to watch Charlie struggle to breathe. It was horrendous and he was really upset, asking me‘ Am I going to die Mam?
“Of course I said he wasn’t, but I felt I was losing him.”
Charlie is now back at home, but is still being monitored for a leaky heart valve caused by the illness.
After a traumatic three weeks for his family, Claire, a cabin crew member for Tui, and Lee, an IT engineer, are hoping their story will help others spot the signs of the condition, which caused Charlie’s temperature to rise to 38.8C while his lips went blue and his body was cold and clammy to the touch.
A Facebook post by Claire setting out the warning signs has already been shared more than 55,000 times and the family are taking par tina medical study on the syndrome
Sunderland AFC fan Charlie had shared a TikTok video before he became unwell urging people to stay at home to help beat corona virus so he could return to watch his beloved team, and when he was in hospital Midfielder Luke O’Nien sent him a get well soon video which brought a smile to Charlie’s face.