tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
GEELONG trainer Glenn Thornton yesterday returned home after spending four weeks in hospital with swine flu and pneumonia.
Thornton lost 10kg in weight during his time in isolation in Geelong Hospital.
His wife Wendy and 14-year-old son Damien kept his team of horses in training while Thornton was sidelined.
Mrs Thornton said doctors had no idea how her husband contracted the highly contagious influenza which emanated in Mexico last year and swept the globe, claiming more than 15,000 lives.
However, the disease never grabbed hold in Australia.
"Glenn hasn't been out of the country, the only place he's been to is the races," Mrs Thornton said.
"A month ago, he felt sick at the Geelong races and was coughing a terrible lot.
"He went into hospital and at first the doctors thought he had asthma, but he'd never had asthma in his life.
"They took blood tests and half an hour later they came back and said it was swine flu and told me to get out of the immediately."
Mrs Thornton and those who had been in close contact with Thornton were treated to keep the disease at bay.
Thornton was the first of several people to be treated for swine flu at Geelong Hospital last month.
"Glenn was really sick, first with the swine flu and then he developed pneumonia. He was put on oxygen," Mrs Thornton said.
"But he was pleased to be heading home today, his condition has improved a lot but it will take time before he is fully recovered," she said.
The Moriac stable had two runners at Geelong Synthetic yesterday, finishing third with Black Kestrel ($6.50) in race one and Confederate Lass ($12) in race three.
"Damien and my cousin Sarah Hilder have been riding the horses in training," Mrs Thornton said.
http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/09/25/213541_geelong_sports.html
Thornton lost 10kg in weight during his time in isolation in Geelong Hospital.
His wife Wendy and 14-year-old son Damien kept his team of horses in training while Thornton was sidelined.
Mrs Thornton said doctors had no idea how her husband contracted the highly contagious influenza which emanated in Mexico last year and swept the globe, claiming more than 15,000 lives.
However, the disease never grabbed hold in Australia.
"Glenn hasn't been out of the country, the only place he's been to is the races," Mrs Thornton said.
"A month ago, he felt sick at the Geelong races and was coughing a terrible lot.
"He went into hospital and at first the doctors thought he had asthma, but he'd never had asthma in his life.
"They took blood tests and half an hour later they came back and said it was swine flu and told me to get out of the immediately."
Mrs Thornton and those who had been in close contact with Thornton were treated to keep the disease at bay.
Thornton was the first of several people to be treated for swine flu at Geelong Hospital last month.
"Glenn was really sick, first with the swine flu and then he developed pneumonia. He was put on oxygen," Mrs Thornton said.
"But he was pleased to be heading home today, his condition has improved a lot but it will take time before he is fully recovered," she said.
The Moriac stable had two runners at Geelong Synthetic yesterday, finishing third with Black Kestrel ($6.50) in race one and Confederate Lass ($12) in race three.
"Damien and my cousin Sarah Hilder have been riding the horses in training," Mrs Thornton said.
http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/09/25/213541_geelong_sports.html