Mom Reveals Nightmare of Losing Daughter to Flu

The flu is a very common illness that most people encounter. Although, many people don't realize how deadly it can be. Shannon Zwanzigers, a young school girl, came home one day feeling like she had the flu. Her mother did anything any parent would do; sent her to her room to rest. "I brought her liquids, applesauce, and soup" said Shannon's mom.  The only symptoms Shannon had were a sore throat and a slight fever.  Shannon's mother constantly checked on her, but only to find her sleeping or on the phone; nothing to abnormal. By Sunday Shannon seemed very weak and lethargic. On Monday, Shannon's father took her to the doctor only to be told to "let the flu run its course". Within a few hours of the same night Shannon was dead. Health care professionals and EMT's couldn't bring her back, The flu destroyed  Shannon's  organs with no one knowing. 

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Questions:

Shannon never got the flu shot for this year. Do you think if she would have things would be different?

If you were Shannon's parents, how might you feel about her not getting the flu shot?

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  • I think flu shots would make a difference if she were to get one because if they were not to help then they would offer them out if they didn't work. I would feel bad because if they were to get a flu shot she probs wouldn't be dead but since she didn't got one she died.

    • True, the flu shot must help in some way. 

  • Sometimes the flu shot doesn't exactly keep you from getting sick anyways. I think that she probably would have gotten this illness whether she got the flu shot or not. If I was Shannon's parents I would be more mad at the doctors for just sending her home instead of actually figuring out what was wrong with her. This could have definitely been prevented if the doctors would have done something. 

    • I think the same. Maybe the way she died wasn't even from the flu, but from something else going on inside her body. The doctors needed to check her out more than what they did.

  • I think its just a 50/50 that the shot would've protected from the illness but the shot also doesn't guarantee that it'll fight the flu off either. I think the flu shot can be helpful but also i thinks its just matter of opinion if you should get the shot or not.

  • I don't understand how it gets this bad. If she didn't get the flu shot and she normally did maybe that was a factor to why she died. I would feel responsible for what has happened to my daughter because she would've gotten the shot if it were up to me.

    • I don't understand either. I think the doctors needed to be more aware of what was happening instead of sending her away

  • I think if she would have gotten the flu once she wouldn't have died. Because once you have it once your body learns to fight off the germs they don't get as sick. If i were her parents i would make her get the flu shot. 

  • Yes I think that if she had gotten the flu shot that it would build up her immunity to the flu and probably have saved her life. I would as a parent feel somewhat responsible because I should have gotten the flu shot for her.

  • The flu shot would have helped a little but she still would have gotten it. I would feel awful and make sure I was smarter in the future and get her a flu shot.

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