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A MUM has told how she fought back from the brink of death after catching swine flu.
Victoria Fleming's family feared she would die after she suffered multiple organ failure.
The 40-year-old - who has no underlying health problems - was put into a coma and flown to England for vital life support.
She spent weeks in intensive care and had to use a walking frame after finally being able to get out of bed.
Victoria, from Carluke, Lanarkshire, said: "I am lucky to be alive.
" I was as ill as I could possibly be without dying."
Trade union organiser Victoria, mum to six-year-old Amy, was given Tamiflu after she fell ill at work.
But she became seriously sick within days and was rushed to Wishaw General Hospital with breathing difficulties.
Her vital organs began to fail and doctors took the decision to put her into a coma.
Her terrified parents and husband Frankie were told there was nothing more medics could do to save her.
But hours later doctors secured a place at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester for treatment on a special machine which gives the blood oxygen.
Victoria was flown south where she had 75 hours of treatment.
She was later returned to Wishaw where she was in intensive care for three weeks.
Victoria said: "The treatment in Leicester made all the difference.
"The machine takes your blood through a tube and adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide before replacing it via another tube. Luckily, I responded really quickly. My dad and husband never thought for a moment that I might not recover, but my mum still gets upset sometimes thinking about the day they were told that my organs were shutting down."
Victoria talked of her ordeal after the Daily Record exclusively revealed that Gayle Cassidy, Scotland's longestsuffering swine flu victim, had lost her battle with the killer virus.
Insurance worker Gayle died at Glasgow's Western Infirmary last month.
Victoria said: "I got so emotional when I read about Gayle Cassidy. Our stories are the same but have a very different ending. I couldn't stop crying."
Victoria has been able to return to work gradually - but it could be up to a year before she recovers fully.
She said: "I can't do any proper exercise because of open sores on my feet.
"My toes and heels went black because of the illness. My fingernails and patches of my hair have fallen out.
"I have scars in my neck from the treatment but I wear them with pride because it's a reminder of the treatment that saved my life."
The swine flu outbreak has killed 69 Scots but cases continue to fall.
Victoria Fleming's family feared she would die after she suffered multiple organ failure.
The 40-year-old - who has no underlying health problems - was put into a coma and flown to England for vital life support.
She spent weeks in intensive care and had to use a walking frame after finally being able to get out of bed.
Victoria, from Carluke, Lanarkshire, said: "I am lucky to be alive.
" I was as ill as I could possibly be without dying."
Trade union organiser Victoria, mum to six-year-old Amy, was given Tamiflu after she fell ill at work.
But she became seriously sick within days and was rushed to Wishaw General Hospital with breathing difficulties.
Her vital organs began to fail and doctors took the decision to put her into a coma.
Her terrified parents and husband Frankie were told there was nothing more medics could do to save her.
But hours later doctors secured a place at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester for treatment on a special machine which gives the blood oxygen.
Victoria was flown south where she had 75 hours of treatment.
She was later returned to Wishaw where she was in intensive care for three weeks.
Victoria said: "The treatment in Leicester made all the difference.
"The machine takes your blood through a tube and adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide before replacing it via another tube. Luckily, I responded really quickly. My dad and husband never thought for a moment that I might not recover, but my mum still gets upset sometimes thinking about the day they were told that my organs were shutting down."
Victoria talked of her ordeal after the Daily Record exclusively revealed that Gayle Cassidy, Scotland's longestsuffering swine flu victim, had lost her battle with the killer virus.
Insurance worker Gayle died at Glasgow's Western Infirmary last month.
Victoria said: "I got so emotional when I read about Gayle Cassidy. Our stories are the same but have a very different ending. I couldn't stop crying."
Victoria has been able to return to work gradually - but it could be up to a year before she recovers fully.
She said: "I can't do any proper exercise because of open sores on my feet.
"My toes and heels went black because of the illness. My fingernails and patches of my hair have fallen out.
"I have scars in my neck from the treatment but I wear them with pride because it's a reminder of the treatment that saved my life."
The swine flu outbreak has killed 69 Scots but cases continue to fall.
