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Peterborough native in coma after contracting H1N1 virus
Worried local family members of Traviss Primeau warn people not to take flu threat lightly
Posted By ELIZABETH BOWER/Examiner Staff Writer
Posted 18 mins ago
Traviss Primeau's family describes him as a hulking, strapping young man ? a snowmobile enthusiast and transport truck driver who was "tough as nails" and "healthy as a horse" who would often greet his mother with a bear hug that would lift her off her feet.
After contracting the H1N1 virus earlier this month, however, the 32-year-old Peterborough native is fighting for his life.
His parents, Fred and Pat Primeau, who live just outside the city limits off Lakefield Rd., explain Traviss has been in critical condition in an intensive care unit since last week and remains in a coma.
Doctors have told them Traviss has H1N1, influenza A and pneumonia in both lungs. There's an area on each of his lungs, about the size of a toonie, that's working properly, doctors have told them.
Some organs, such as his kidney and liver, are shutting down because they're not getting enough oxygen. No one's sure if he'll come out of the coma.
The Primeau family fights back tears explaining they want the public to know about Traviss' plight so that people don't take the H1N1 threat lightly.
Fred, who says he has never had a flu shot in his life, immediately got the H1N1 vaccination after learning his youngest child was in hospital.
"This disease is the worst I've ever seen," Fred says, adding the family had to suit up in cap, gown and gloves to visit Traviss in hospital.
Traviss' sister Lisa, a registered practical nurse, says she's urging the public to be vigilant about hand-washing and getting vaccinated.
"I want people to be aware of the severity of this virus," Lisa says. "My brother was very healthy and strong and this virus just took him over."
Traviss, who was born and raised in Peterborough and attended Adam Scott Collegiate, lives just outside Ottawa with his wife Elita and his sons Caleb, 6, and Aaron, 3.
His family says he's the kind of man who rarely gets sick ? he's a non-smoker who keeps in shape with his job as a truck driver, often hauling bags of cement, and he chops his own wood for his home's fireplace. They say he has no underlying medical conditions.
Traviss called his father on Nov. 10 to wish him a happy birthday.
The next day, he got flu-like symptoms including a cough and fever.
His parents say he hadn't yet gotten a flu shot because, at the time, the H1N1 vaccines were for high-priority groups only.
When he started struggling to breathe two days later, his wife took him to an Ottawa hospital where doctors ordered an X-ray and told Traviss he had "a touch of the flu."
He was sent home without a prescription, his parents say.
His wife was sick too, they say, although not as severely.
When he still wasn't better by Nov. 16, his wife, who was getting healthier, was already planning to take him back to the hospital when a hospital official called saying he should be readmitted because something wrong was seen on his X-ray.
That day, he was admitted to hospital and flown by helicopter to the Queensway Carleton Hospital.
"I was devastated," his mother Pat says. "It all happened so fast."
The following day, Nov. 17, Pat and Fred got a call saying Traviss had been flown to Ottawa Civic Hospital where he still remains.
He hasn't improved since being there, his parents say.
Traviss is hooked up to tubes; his lungs are filled with fluid.
When his family rushed to his side, doctors told them it was touch and go.
He's taking "baby steps" such as getting off the blood pressure medication, they say.
If he does pull out of this, doctors say, it could take three months.
Even then, he'd need physiotherapy to rebuild his muscles.
"We're all still in shock," Pat says. "It's kind of like a bad-dream state."
Life has to go on, his parents say, so Fred and Pat returned to Peterborough where they run a dog-training centre on Killoran Rd.
They sit on edge all day waiting for the phone to ring with news of Traviss' health. They plan to travel to Ottawa as often as they can to see him.
Fred says he urges everyone to learn from his family's story and get vaccinated.
"Err on the side of caution," Fred says. "Because this thing can hit you like a sledgehammer."
ebower@peterboroughexaminer.com
Article ID# 2189323
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2189323
Worried local family members of Traviss Primeau warn people not to take flu threat lightly
Posted By ELIZABETH BOWER/Examiner Staff Writer
Posted 18 mins ago
Traviss Primeau's family describes him as a hulking, strapping young man ? a snowmobile enthusiast and transport truck driver who was "tough as nails" and "healthy as a horse" who would often greet his mother with a bear hug that would lift her off her feet.
After contracting the H1N1 virus earlier this month, however, the 32-year-old Peterborough native is fighting for his life.
His parents, Fred and Pat Primeau, who live just outside the city limits off Lakefield Rd., explain Traviss has been in critical condition in an intensive care unit since last week and remains in a coma.
Doctors have told them Traviss has H1N1, influenza A and pneumonia in both lungs. There's an area on each of his lungs, about the size of a toonie, that's working properly, doctors have told them.
Some organs, such as his kidney and liver, are shutting down because they're not getting enough oxygen. No one's sure if he'll come out of the coma.
The Primeau family fights back tears explaining they want the public to know about Traviss' plight so that people don't take the H1N1 threat lightly.
Fred, who says he has never had a flu shot in his life, immediately got the H1N1 vaccination after learning his youngest child was in hospital.
"This disease is the worst I've ever seen," Fred says, adding the family had to suit up in cap, gown and gloves to visit Traviss in hospital.
Traviss' sister Lisa, a registered practical nurse, says she's urging the public to be vigilant about hand-washing and getting vaccinated.
"I want people to be aware of the severity of this virus," Lisa says. "My brother was very healthy and strong and this virus just took him over."
Traviss, who was born and raised in Peterborough and attended Adam Scott Collegiate, lives just outside Ottawa with his wife Elita and his sons Caleb, 6, and Aaron, 3.
His family says he's the kind of man who rarely gets sick ? he's a non-smoker who keeps in shape with his job as a truck driver, often hauling bags of cement, and he chops his own wood for his home's fireplace. They say he has no underlying medical conditions.
Traviss called his father on Nov. 10 to wish him a happy birthday.
The next day, he got flu-like symptoms including a cough and fever.
His parents say he hadn't yet gotten a flu shot because, at the time, the H1N1 vaccines were for high-priority groups only.
When he started struggling to breathe two days later, his wife took him to an Ottawa hospital where doctors ordered an X-ray and told Traviss he had "a touch of the flu."
He was sent home without a prescription, his parents say.
His wife was sick too, they say, although not as severely.
When he still wasn't better by Nov. 16, his wife, who was getting healthier, was already planning to take him back to the hospital when a hospital official called saying he should be readmitted because something wrong was seen on his X-ray.
That day, he was admitted to hospital and flown by helicopter to the Queensway Carleton Hospital.
"I was devastated," his mother Pat says. "It all happened so fast."
The following day, Nov. 17, Pat and Fred got a call saying Traviss had been flown to Ottawa Civic Hospital where he still remains.
He hasn't improved since being there, his parents say.
Traviss is hooked up to tubes; his lungs are filled with fluid.
When his family rushed to his side, doctors told them it was touch and go.
He's taking "baby steps" such as getting off the blood pressure medication, they say.
If he does pull out of this, doctors say, it could take three months.
Even then, he'd need physiotherapy to rebuild his muscles.
"We're all still in shock," Pat says. "It's kind of like a bad-dream state."
Life has to go on, his parents say, so Fred and Pat returned to Peterborough where they run a dog-training centre on Killoran Rd.
They sit on edge all day waiting for the phone to ring with news of Traviss' health. They plan to travel to Ottawa as often as they can to see him.
Fred says he urges everyone to learn from his family's story and get vaccinated.
"Err on the side of caution," Fred says. "Because this thing can hit you like a sledgehammer."
ebower@peterboroughexaminer.com
Article ID# 2189323
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2189323
