Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Mum dies of swine flu after birth of son
Allison McCaffery, 26, died of swine flu following the death of her baby son Jacob
March 02, 2010
A young mum died from swine flu just weeks after giving birth to her son.
Allison McCaffery, 26, developed flu symptoms during pregnancy which worsened following the birth of baby boy Jacob by Caesarean section.
She only spent a few hours with Jacob at the Royal Oldham Hospital before he had to be taken away as she was put on a ventilator to help her breathe.
Allison was transferred to the Royal Brompton Hospital in London where her husband Gareth kept a bedside vigil for six weeks as she lay unconscious on an oxygen machine.
But despite efforts by medical staff to revive her, Allison never woke up and she passed away on February 20.
Gareth, also 26, of Charles Street, Oldham, who had been married to
Allison for four years, is now faced with raising their only child without her.
He said: ?She had all the symptoms of flu but none of us knew how serious it was. We've no idea how she contracted it and at the time had no idea it was swine flu.?
Gareth spent six weeks at Allison's bedside in London with her parents Julie and David Astley while newborn Jacob was being cared for by his parents Alan and Audrey McCaffery.
The proud dad said that he could see the image of his late wife in their baby son.
"When he frowns he looks just like her and definitely has her eyes," said Gareth.
"I'm sure she'll be watching over him and we will be telling him all about his mum when he's older.
Grateful
"Jacob is doing really well and Allison made sure he didn't catch anything.
"She saw him in his first outfit - a monkey suit - as she was obsessed with monkeys and was able to feed him. We're grateful that she managed to spend a few hours with him.
"I'm hoping to fulfil all her wishes. With every decision I'll be thinking 'what would Allison have done?' as she would have done a better job. She knew exactly what she was doing and was really excited about having him.
?The past few months have been a nightmare but at least with Jacob we've got something good out of it but it's far from what we had planned.
"This is not how you're supposed to celebrate a birth but all the family have rallied round.
"We've got a big family who will be a big part of his life and we'll just have to see how things pan out.
"Christmas, New Year, birthdays and mother's day are all at this time of year and it will be hard but Allison would have wanted us to celebrate for Jacob's sake and not have him miss out.
?She was lovely, funny, bubbly and always smiling and she would want Jacob to have all that and more."
Gareth and Allison met at North Chadderton School and began dating aged 19 before finally tying the knot on January 21, 2006.
Allison's mum Julie paid tribute saying she "couldn't have asked for more in a daughter".
Proud
She added: "We are so proud of her and we are blessed to be her mum and dad."
Dad David added: "She was such a hard worker and loved her job as it involved meeting a lot of people. She got on with anybody, young or old, rich or poor and from whatever background. It didn't matter to her. She will be sorely missed."
Allison's best friend Hasna Begum also paid tribute: "She never got to feel motherhood for long but she was always a natural mother.
"We had so many plans and Jacob would have had an amazing mum. She was really there for me and helped me with my children. She really took to it and they loved her to bits.
"She lived life to the fill and did so much more than people do in a whole lifetime.
"She was such a good friend and was more of a sister than a friend. I will miss her so much and can't believe she's no longer here."
Allison also leaves behind two brothers, 20 year old Aaron and 24 year old Michael who flew back to Royton from Afghanistan where he is serving with an RAF regiment for her funeral on at St Paul's Church, on Tuesday.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1194367_mum_dies_of_swine_flu_after_birth_of_son
March 02, 2010
A young mum died from swine flu just weeks after giving birth to her son.
Allison McCaffery, 26, developed flu symptoms during pregnancy which worsened following the birth of baby boy Jacob by Caesarean section.
She only spent a few hours with Jacob at the Royal Oldham Hospital before he had to be taken away as she was put on a ventilator to help her breathe.
Allison was transferred to the Royal Brompton Hospital in London where her husband Gareth kept a bedside vigil for six weeks as she lay unconscious on an oxygen machine.
But despite efforts by medical staff to revive her, Allison never woke up and she passed away on February 20.
Gareth, also 26, of Charles Street, Oldham, who had been married to
Allison for four years, is now faced with raising their only child without her.
He said: ?She had all the symptoms of flu but none of us knew how serious it was. We've no idea how she contracted it and at the time had no idea it was swine flu.?
Gareth spent six weeks at Allison's bedside in London with her parents Julie and David Astley while newborn Jacob was being cared for by his parents Alan and Audrey McCaffery.
The proud dad said that he could see the image of his late wife in their baby son.
"When he frowns he looks just like her and definitely has her eyes," said Gareth.
"I'm sure she'll be watching over him and we will be telling him all about his mum when he's older.
Grateful
"Jacob is doing really well and Allison made sure he didn't catch anything.
"She saw him in his first outfit - a monkey suit - as she was obsessed with monkeys and was able to feed him. We're grateful that she managed to spend a few hours with him.
"I'm hoping to fulfil all her wishes. With every decision I'll be thinking 'what would Allison have done?' as she would have done a better job. She knew exactly what she was doing and was really excited about having him.
?The past few months have been a nightmare but at least with Jacob we've got something good out of it but it's far from what we had planned.
"This is not how you're supposed to celebrate a birth but all the family have rallied round.
"We've got a big family who will be a big part of his life and we'll just have to see how things pan out.
"Christmas, New Year, birthdays and mother's day are all at this time of year and it will be hard but Allison would have wanted us to celebrate for Jacob's sake and not have him miss out.
?She was lovely, funny, bubbly and always smiling and she would want Jacob to have all that and more."
Gareth and Allison met at North Chadderton School and began dating aged 19 before finally tying the knot on January 21, 2006.
Allison's mum Julie paid tribute saying she "couldn't have asked for more in a daughter".
Proud
She added: "We are so proud of her and we are blessed to be her mum and dad."
Dad David added: "She was such a hard worker and loved her job as it involved meeting a lot of people. She got on with anybody, young or old, rich or poor and from whatever background. It didn't matter to her. She will be sorely missed."
Allison's best friend Hasna Begum also paid tribute: "She never got to feel motherhood for long but she was always a natural mother.
"We had so many plans and Jacob would have had an amazing mum. She was really there for me and helped me with my children. She really took to it and they loved her to bits.
"She lived life to the fill and did so much more than people do in a whole lifetime.
"She was such a good friend and was more of a sister than a friend. I will miss her so much and can't believe she's no longer here."
Allison also leaves behind two brothers, 20 year old Aaron and 24 year old Michael who flew back to Royton from Afghanistan where he is serving with an RAF regiment for her funeral on at St Paul's Church, on Tuesday.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1194367_mum_dies_of_swine_flu_after_birth_of_son