School Teacher Dies Of Meningitis

[The Straight Story]

School Teacher Dies Of Meningitis

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Letters were sent home with about 350 students at a north side elementary school on Thursday informing parents that a staff member had been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis.

Teresa Smoak (pictured, right), a long-time teacher at Clinton Elementary School, died of from the infection on Tuesday, according to Franklin County coroner Dr. Bradley Lewis.

Columbus Public Health was investigating how Smoak, 57, contracted the infection. It is transmitted only through close contact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We don't believe any child or staff member at the school has had any significant exposure that would result in infection," said Deborah Coleman of the Columbus Health Department.

http://www.10tv.com/?sec=&story=sites/10tv/content/pool/200709/387797325.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. Reminds me that my kids are due for the vaccine. I saw first-hand

as an ICU nurse the awful effects of bacterial meningitis--you can be dead within 48 hours, before the antibiotics even have a chance to work. Aside from the neurological effects, your small blood vessels and tissues become damaged, and you end up having entire body parts lopped off in an attempt to save your life. Terrible infection.

[Bosso 63]

2. When my son was 6 months old he contracted it.

We got real lucky and caught it early, so he was OK after 10 days in hospital. 8 years later, I still shudder every time I hear about bacterial meningitis. Oh yea, when clinic staff suspected what he had, which was quick, they worked like a swiss clock. For that, I will always be thankful.

[TwilightGardener]

3. How scary, to have an infant with it! Glad he ended up OK!

[Democrat 4 Ever]

6. A member of my extended family had a child to die of this

in June. A beautiful 12-year old daughter. Was fine one day and literally was on life support the following evening. She woke up on Sunday morning feeling bad, parents thought maybe a summer cold. By late afternoon they realized she was sick and rushed her to the emergency room. By Tuesday morning she was declared brain dead and the machines were turned off on Friday. From vibrant, happy kid looking forward to her summer vacation to...gone.

I don't know if they have found where she contracted the disease or not. Her parents and little brother did not get sick. The family is still completely devastated. Mother suffering from a boat load of guilt for not seeing earlier how sick the child was and getting her help. Doesn't matter the doctors have told her repeatedly she couldn't have known.

Hug your kids and don't ever take one single day for granted.

[TwilightGardener]

7. Tragic--so sorry for your family. Even if the mom acted faster, the

infection can be just so overwhelming that earlier treatment may not have made much of a difference--sad that she carries that guilt.

[MissB]

5. Very scary!

Anytime either of my kids gets sick, I'm always looking out for purplish spots.

[JuniperLea]

8. My oldest son had it at five months...

105+ fever for five days... they were talking possible blindness, hearing loss, even retardation. When the fever broke and my precocious baby started calling for his mommy, there was a collective sigh of relief. I was staying in his room 24/7... I'd left to grab some coffee and walked back to find his doctor heading for his room... the doctor told me he got a call from the nurse saying the fever broke and the boy was screaming for his mom. The doctor didn't know Jon had already started talking, so was quite surprised when we entered the room and Jon started trying to climb out of the crib, and babbling to me about a bottle... being hungry... well, the doctor said, this kid is fine. Whew!

[MissB]

4. For some reason, it is prevalent in Oregon.

Our ped doesn't recommend the vaccine until 11 or 12.

[Blue_Tires]

9. they need to get on top of it fast

it can spread and kill very quickly!

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Meningitis sucks bigtime...

I had the viral variety of meningitis/encephalitis back in 1980, and it really threw me for a loop. Besides having the worst headache ever for about three weeks, I also had nerve damage in both my arms that prevented me from doing anything involving use of my fingers -- typing, playing my flute, the two things I do for money and amusement -- for over a year. It felt like the circulation was cut off at the elbows on both arms, leaving my forearms feeling cold and dead. The worst part was not knowing if it was ever going to get better, but thank God,it finally did. As sick as I was, I've heard the bacterial version is even worse.

It's a disease to be avoided at all costs.

[Nay]

11. 30 yrs ago while I was in college, a friend's roomie wasn't feeling

too hot, so he didn't go to classes that day. When my friend got back home that afternoon, he was dead in the hammock on the front porch. Really really sad. Meningitis killed him that fast.