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CHARLIE ANTHOINE — USA
Born May 21, 2003, died June 14, 2003 Late-onset Mother's GBS Status: Tested negative Gestational Age: 36 weeks Age Harmed: Showed symptoms at 2 weeks, 6 days of age |
Our first son Charlie was born on May 21, 2003 and was healthy even though he was 4 weeks early. He was jaundiced and had to stay in the nursery for 2 extra days, but all was well after that. He was eating well, sleeping great, peeing and pooping and crying like he should. We were rolling along beautifully as a family.
On Tuesday, June 10, he became very fussy and was inconsolable. He ate at his morning feedings but didn't eat after that. I called the doctor because I was worried. We went in and he had no fever. The complete blood count (CBC) showed no infection and all numbers looked right. However, when we got to the doctor's office, he became very quiet and listless...like he just didn't feel well.
Since the blood work was fine and there was no fever, we all thought he probably had a bug of some sort because my husband had been sick the weekend before. The doctor said he would like for him to eat, but if he didn't have a few feedings, he would be ok. We left with orders to call him in the morning and let him know how he was doing.
Over the afternoon, Charlie was very quiet and sedated. He seemed like he was in a half-sleep the whole time and was very hard to wake. I tried to feed him and he wouldn't eat at all. Around bedtime we decided to keep an eye on him and let him sleep in the bed with us. My husband and I kept a hand on him all night long and kept checking on him.
Something was obviously not right.
First thing in the morning, we called the doctor and went in immediately. He had paperwork ready to send us to the hospital as soon as we walked in. We were checked in to the PICU and immediately he was put on a breathing machine, antibiotics (for whatever it could be), anti-seizure medications (just in case), inserted a catheter and gave him fluids. When they finally let us know that he was stable and let us see him, they said he was not breathing when he came in. The nurse held my hand and said, "You have a VERY sick little boy."
We still didn't understand.
Over the next few hours, they ran numerous tests...ultrasounds, ct scans, blood cultures, etc. They had to start giving him plasma to bulk up his blood so they could do a spinal tap. He was having seizures even though he had lots of medications to stop them.
It was about 24 hours before the doctor mentioned Group B Strep. I knew I was negative for GBS (tested 1 week before I delivered)* and he was negative in 3 different CBC panels after he was born.
And at that point, he said Charlie had already suffered many strokes and had severe sepsis and meningitis. He said that I probably did not have GBS and that he could have picked it up somewhere else. I didn't know what to think. They still had to do the spinal tap to confirm what he thought...that GBS had invaded his little body and was killing his little brain. An MRI confirmed that his brain was nearly completely destroyed and he wasn't breathing on his own.
We had to make the most unthinkable decision that parents will ever have to make. He couldn't survive on his own so we had to remove support.
For 43 minutes, we held him, kissed him, touched him, sang to him and loved him until God took him to be with the angels (and his sibling that we lost to miscarriage 1 year ago). They were the saddest, most beautiful minutes of our lives.
In hindsight, after seeing the Jesse Cause (GBSI's sister organization which is no longer active) brochure, I realize I probably should have had antibiotics during labor. I presented several of the risk factors...meconium staining, labor at 36 weeks, water broke about 16 hours before he was born, internal monitoring, low fever.
I do now know that 50% of the cases of late-onset come from the mother*, 50% come from elsewhere in the environment. Since it's a bacteria, it can be transferred via hands and other modes. Most late-onset GBS cases have unknown causes. We do not know how Charlie contracted GBS, but want others to be aware of what it is and how it can help be prevented.
— Jana Anthoine, USA
Jana's Bio: Jana is a somewhat witty, eternal optimist who blogs regularly at Jana's Thinking Place, http://www.janasthinkingplace.com/ . She is the mother of two, though she only has to run after one. Her first son died at 24 days old in 2003 after contracting late onset Group B Strep. Her 7 year old son, Henry, is a bright, hilarious, sensitive kid and keeps them all in stitches. Jana is the co-founder of Band Back Together http://bandbacktogether.com, a group blog that boasts a mission of providing a safe and moderated environment for people to share their stories and bust the stigmas associated with tough topics.
Jana and her husband donated printed materials for a GBS booth at a medical convention and Jana helped staff the booth. Jana also helped prep GBSI's presentation and materials for the 2009 CDC GBS Guideline Revision Meeting in Atlanta, GA.
On Tuesday, June 10, he became very fussy and was inconsolable. He ate at his morning feedings but didn't eat after that. I called the doctor because I was worried. We went in and he had no fever. The complete blood count (CBC) showed no infection and all numbers looked right. However, when we got to the doctor's office, he became very quiet and listless...like he just didn't feel well.
Since the blood work was fine and there was no fever, we all thought he probably had a bug of some sort because my husband had been sick the weekend before. The doctor said he would like for him to eat, but if he didn't have a few feedings, he would be ok. We left with orders to call him in the morning and let him know how he was doing.
Over the afternoon, Charlie was very quiet and sedated. He seemed like he was in a half-sleep the whole time and was very hard to wake. I tried to feed him and he wouldn't eat at all. Around bedtime we decided to keep an eye on him and let him sleep in the bed with us. My husband and I kept a hand on him all night long and kept checking on him.
Something was obviously not right.
First thing in the morning, we called the doctor and went in immediately. He had paperwork ready to send us to the hospital as soon as we walked in. We were checked in to the PICU and immediately he was put on a breathing machine, antibiotics (for whatever it could be), anti-seizure medications (just in case), inserted a catheter and gave him fluids. When they finally let us know that he was stable and let us see him, they said he was not breathing when he came in. The nurse held my hand and said, "You have a VERY sick little boy."
We still didn't understand.
Over the next few hours, they ran numerous tests...ultrasounds, ct scans, blood cultures, etc. They had to start giving him plasma to bulk up his blood so they could do a spinal tap. He was having seizures even though he had lots of medications to stop them.
It was about 24 hours before the doctor mentioned Group B Strep. I knew I was negative for GBS (tested 1 week before I delivered)* and he was negative in 3 different CBC panels after he was born.
And at that point, he said Charlie had already suffered many strokes and had severe sepsis and meningitis. He said that I probably did not have GBS and that he could have picked it up somewhere else. I didn't know what to think. They still had to do the spinal tap to confirm what he thought...that GBS had invaded his little body and was killing his little brain. An MRI confirmed that his brain was nearly completely destroyed and he wasn't breathing on his own.
We had to make the most unthinkable decision that parents will ever have to make. He couldn't survive on his own so we had to remove support.
For 43 minutes, we held him, kissed him, touched him, sang to him and loved him until God took him to be with the angels (and his sibling that we lost to miscarriage 1 year ago). They were the saddest, most beautiful minutes of our lives.
In hindsight, after seeing the Jesse Cause (GBSI's sister organization which is no longer active) brochure, I realize I probably should have had antibiotics during labor. I presented several of the risk factors...meconium staining, labor at 36 weeks, water broke about 16 hours before he was born, internal monitoring, low fever.
I do now know that 50% of the cases of late-onset come from the mother*, 50% come from elsewhere in the environment. Since it's a bacteria, it can be transferred via hands and other modes. Most late-onset GBS cases have unknown causes. We do not know how Charlie contracted GBS, but want others to be aware of what it is and how it can help be prevented.
— Jana Anthoine, USA
Jana's Bio: Jana is a somewhat witty, eternal optimist who blogs regularly at Jana's Thinking Place, http://www.janasthinkingplace.com/ . She is the mother of two, though she only has to run after one. Her first son died at 24 days old in 2003 after contracting late onset Group B Strep. Her 7 year old son, Henry, is a bright, hilarious, sensitive kid and keeps them all in stitches. Jana is the co-founder of Band Back Together http://bandbacktogether.com, a group blog that boasts a mission of providing a safe and moderated environment for people to share their stories and bust the stigmas associated with tough topics.
Jana and her husband donated printed materials for a GBS booth at a medical convention and Jana helped staff the booth. Jana also helped prep GBSI's presentation and materials for the 2009 CDC GBS Guideline Revision Meeting in Atlanta, GA.
To learn more about Perinatal & GBS Misconceptions, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.