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Just 4 happy days at home as a family
By DOUGLAS WALKER
Published: Today
A TRAGIC young mum enjoyed just four days at home with her beloved new son - before being diagnosed with the deadly swine flu that claimed her life.
Marianne Johnston was thrilled when little Leon was born - her second child with partner William Laird.
After two days in hospital, the delighted 20-year-old returned home with the tot to proud dad William, 21, and their one-year-old son Jay.
But the doting mum had just days with her new arrival before she was rushed back to hospital when she started feeling unwell.
And the virus struck at such a devastating speed, the young family didn't even get the chance to have a photograph taken together.
Last night Marianne's brother John, 27, said: "On the Tuesday that Leon was born we were up at the hospital with her, taking pictures and holding the baby.
Brothers ... Jay with little Leon
"Then the next Tuesday we're in intensive care and getting told that she might not pull through."
Worried Marianne had told a midwife who was visiting her in Clydebank on November 2 that she wasn't feeling well. She was struggling to breathe so was sent to Glasgow's Royal Infirmary.
Marianne's mum Christine, 53, said: "She phoned and said the doctor wanted to send her to A&E and could I come and get the baby. After I'd done that I made my way up to the hospital. She was wearing an oxygen mask but she was still able to smile at me."
But doctors then broke the devastating news that Marianne had been diagnosed with swine flu and the new mum was seriously ill.
Her sister Kirsty, 29, said: "They had to switch her to intensive care to treat her with ventilators.
"They were saying her life was in danger. By the second week they were saying, 'We don't know what else we can do for her'."
As her condition rapidly deteriorated Marianne was moved into the care of heart and lung specialists at London's Royal Brompton Hospital on November 13.
But while she was being treated there, complications set in and Marianne developed deep vein thrombosis and bleeding on the brain.
Tribute ... William created family photo with Marianne, Leon and Jay
She lost her brave fight for life on November 29 - just over a month after little Leon was born.
Caring Marianne was an organ donor and was kept alive on a life support machine so her kidneys and liver could be used to save other people's lives.
And as a poignant tribute to her, grieving William created a picture of the devoted mum smiling next to himself and their two sons - the family photo she never lived long enough to pose for.
Doctors believed Marianne - who hadn't been given a swine flu jab - caught the deadly virus in the later stages of her pregnancy.
Now her shattered mum Christine is urging all other mothers-to-be to have the life-saving vaccination and prevent more families sharing their heartache.
Christine, of Clydebank, said: "The message I want to get out there is for any pregnant women to go and get the swine flu jab.
"Three people in Marianne's ward had just had babies or had lost a baby. I don't think people realise how ill it makes you."
More than 400 mourners packed into Clydebank Crematorium to say an emotional goodbye to tragic Marianne on Tuesday. Her brother John told how the selfless mum had dreamed of being a social worker when she was just a teenager but was turned down because she was too young.
He added: "Marianne was just a lovely person - just a generous person. The fact that she wanted to go into social work at that age just shows what a caring person she was. She was very quick-witted and had some great one-liners."
Paying tribute to her daughter, Christine added: "She just loved being a mum. She had a very captivating smile - she was beautiful.
"But she wrapped me round her little finger. When she wanted something she just had to smile and she'd get it."
Marianne's family are now putting together a touching memory box for her two sons, so they can always be reminded of their mum. Her sister Kirsty said: "It's so that when the boys are older they can understand a wee bit more about who their mum was and what happened.
"We'll put in photographs of everything she's done and stuff to do with her hobbies and interests.
"And we'll put in all the transplant letters as they come in, telling us what has been done with her organs."
News of the latest swine flu tragedy - which brings the Scottish death toll to 54 - emerged just days after a top scientists claimed the H1N1 virus "had a lot more publicity than it deserved".
Professor Hugh Pennington said: "Governments have to plan to plan for the worst. I don't think the money has been wasted, but this virus has had a lot more publicity than it deserves.
"A lot of people get infected and don't even have any symptoms or know they've got it."
http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/hom...y-as-Marianne-Johnston-dies-of-swine-flu.html
By DOUGLAS WALKER
Published: Today
A TRAGIC young mum enjoyed just four days at home with her beloved new son - before being diagnosed with the deadly swine flu that claimed her life.
Marianne Johnston was thrilled when little Leon was born - her second child with partner William Laird.
After two days in hospital, the delighted 20-year-old returned home with the tot to proud dad William, 21, and their one-year-old son Jay.
But the doting mum had just days with her new arrival before she was rushed back to hospital when she started feeling unwell.
And the virus struck at such a devastating speed, the young family didn't even get the chance to have a photograph taken together.
Last night Marianne's brother John, 27, said: "On the Tuesday that Leon was born we were up at the hospital with her, taking pictures and holding the baby.
"Then the next Tuesday we're in intensive care and getting told that she might not pull through."
Worried Marianne had told a midwife who was visiting her in Clydebank on November 2 that she wasn't feeling well. She was struggling to breathe so was sent to Glasgow's Royal Infirmary.
Marianne's mum Christine, 53, said: "She phoned and said the doctor wanted to send her to A&E and could I come and get the baby. After I'd done that I made my way up to the hospital. She was wearing an oxygen mask but she was still able to smile at me."
But doctors then broke the devastating news that Marianne had been diagnosed with swine flu and the new mum was seriously ill.
Her sister Kirsty, 29, said: "They had to switch her to intensive care to treat her with ventilators.
"They were saying her life was in danger. By the second week they were saying, 'We don't know what else we can do for her'."
As her condition rapidly deteriorated Marianne was moved into the care of heart and lung specialists at London's Royal Brompton Hospital on November 13.
But while she was being treated there, complications set in and Marianne developed deep vein thrombosis and bleeding on the brain.
She lost her brave fight for life on November 29 - just over a month after little Leon was born.
Caring Marianne was an organ donor and was kept alive on a life support machine so her kidneys and liver could be used to save other people's lives.
And as a poignant tribute to her, grieving William created a picture of the devoted mum smiling next to himself and their two sons - the family photo she never lived long enough to pose for.
Doctors believed Marianne - who hadn't been given a swine flu jab - caught the deadly virus in the later stages of her pregnancy.
Now her shattered mum Christine is urging all other mothers-to-be to have the life-saving vaccination and prevent more families sharing their heartache.
Christine, of Clydebank, said: "The message I want to get out there is for any pregnant women to go and get the swine flu jab.
"Three people in Marianne's ward had just had babies or had lost a baby. I don't think people realise how ill it makes you."
More than 400 mourners packed into Clydebank Crematorium to say an emotional goodbye to tragic Marianne on Tuesday. Her brother John told how the selfless mum had dreamed of being a social worker when she was just a teenager but was turned down because she was too young.
He added: "Marianne was just a lovely person - just a generous person. The fact that she wanted to go into social work at that age just shows what a caring person she was. She was very quick-witted and had some great one-liners."
Paying tribute to her daughter, Christine added: "She just loved being a mum. She had a very captivating smile - she was beautiful.
"But she wrapped me round her little finger. When she wanted something she just had to smile and she'd get it."
Marianne's family are now putting together a touching memory box for her two sons, so they can always be reminded of their mum. Her sister Kirsty said: "It's so that when the boys are older they can understand a wee bit more about who their mum was and what happened.
"We'll put in photographs of everything she's done and stuff to do with her hobbies and interests.
"And we'll put in all the transplant letters as they come in, telling us what has been done with her organs."
News of the latest swine flu tragedy - which brings the Scottish death toll to 54 - emerged just days after a top scientists claimed the H1N1 virus "had a lot more publicity than it deserved".
Professor Hugh Pennington said: "Governments have to plan to plan for the worst. I don't think the money has been wasted, but this virus has had a lot more publicity than it deserves.
"A lot of people get infected and don't even have any symptoms or know they've got it."
http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/hom...y-as-Marianne-Johnston-dies-of-swine-flu.html