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Embargoed Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Gay
Taking precautions to help reduce her risk of re-acquiring pneumonia, Brisbane
Teacher, widow, mother-of-three and grandmother-to-six, Gay, from Brisbane,
was unaware of the seriousness of pneumonia before falling ill with the
potentially life-threatening infection last winter.
Not suspecting that her chronic asthma and age (over 65) placed her at increased
risk of pneumonia, Gay is now taking precautions to help protect against reacquiring the infection. This is her story.
Gay, an active tennis player who has been living with chronic erratic asthma for 22
years, effectively controls her symptoms with a preventative inhaler taken regularly.
She also uses a reliever puffer when required during an asthma attack.
One evening, in August 2012, she began experiencing acute asthma-like symptoms,
including chest pain and difficulty breathing, triggered by heavy smoke in the air.
Struggling to breathe, she took her asthma medication, after which she visited her
GP. Two days later, she revisited her GP who prescribed a repeat course of
antibiotics to manage her chest infection.
Continuing to suffer from this severe chest infection 10 days later, she returned to
her GP who referred her for a chest X-ray because her lungs still appeared to be
clogged and he suspected pneumococcal pneumonia.
Gay was diagnosed with pneumococcal pneumonia, prescribed bed-rest and tasked
to complete her final course of antibiotics. During the course of the following week, she visited a local physiotherapist, at
her doctor’s recommendation, to help clear the mucus that was clogging her lungs.
Contracting pneumococcal pneumonia turned Gay’s active lifestyle upside down and left her bed-ridden for days.
“It was a horrific experience. I had a constant, terrible cough, which resulted in heavy chest and back pain,” said Gay.
“I was house-bound for days, living on my own, and only able to fall asleep with hot water bottles sitting on my chest to
support my back.
“I lent on my neighbour to purchase medical supplies from my local chemist as I simply couldn’t move,” Gay said.
Four weeks following her diagnosis, a second X-ray confirmed Gay’s lungs had cleared of the infection. Three weeks later,
in a much healthier state, she returned to her GP for a vaccination to help reduce her risk of re-acquiring pneumococcal
pneumonia.
“I had no idea I was at high-risk for contracting pneumonia.
“If I had known, I would have talked to my doctor about how to help protect against the potentially life-threatening lung
infection a long time ago,” said Gay.
“Nowadays, I urge all my friends to talk to their doctor about ways to help protect against pneumonia, including
vaccination. I don’t want them to experience what I went through.”
Despite having recovered from the potentially fatal respiratory infection, Gay continues to experience flagging energy
levels.
“I love playing tennis, but I’ve been unable to do so for so long, as I’ve been forced to stay home and recover from this
severe infection,” Gay said.
In addition to talking to her GP about ways to help protect against pneumonia, Gay also proactively avoids strong smells
that could trigger an asthma attack, and ensures she gets plenty of rest and follows a healthy diet.
“Despite pneumonia being such a serious lung infection, especially for those in at-risk groups, I’ve learned that steps can
be taken to help prevent it, and urge those at risk of the infection to talk to their GP,” said Gay.
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For more information, or to coordinate an interview with Gay, please contact Abbey Flanagan from
VIVA! Communications on 02 9968 1604 or 0422 180 674.