RI teen with H1N1 on life support - Lillian died

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RI teen with H1N1 on life support

Lillian Chason fights H1N1 at NC hospital

Updated: Thursday, 03 Dec 2009, 1:03 PM EST
Jeremy Brown

BARRINGTON, R.I. (WPRI) - A college student from Barrington remains on life support at a North Carolina hospital.

Lillian Chason, a freshman at the University of North Carolina, is fighting the H1N1 flu virus .

According to the facebook group, "Prayers For Lillian," she has been in critical condition at the hospital since November 23.

The site was set up by her mother for family, friend and even strangers to get updates and send her get well wishes.



A photo from the Facebook page, Prayers for Lillian, in honor of Lillian Chason of Barrington who is on life support at a North Carolina after contracting H1N1 while away at school.

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/barring...nt-fights-h1n1-

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

She is on ECMO and fighting for her life. Facebook page created open to public with continual updates on her condition. My prayers go out to Lillian.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183280774868&ref=search&sid=1628323562.2634561355..1

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

December 3, 2009


Jordan Graham


Staff Writer



<!-- hp Array( [0] => 36866) -->Lillian Chason has been on life support due to complications caused by the H1N1 virus. Courtesy of the Chason family.



Freshman Lillian Chason is on life support at UNC Hospitals after falling sick with the H1N1 virus last month.

She has been undergoing treatment for complications from the virus since Nov. 20.

Her father, Eric Chason, said doctors are not sure why Chason?s case has been so severe. The majority of people who are infected by the virus recover without medical attention.

Eric Chason said his daughter was planning on returning home to Rhode Island for Thanksgiving.


Instead, the dramatic arts major?s parents came to her.

The Chasons? daughter has been sedated throughout their stay, and her condition has only slightly improved. A machine is needed at all times to provide her with cardiac and respiratory support.

But Eric and Cate Chason, who have been using Facebook to regularly post reports on her condition, remain optimistic she will recover.

?There?s a change for the better that is profound, yet difficult to explain,? wrote Cate Chason, her mother and a UNC alumna, on the Facebook support group, ?Prayers for Lillian.?

With more than 3,000 members and visitation to her hospital room prohibited, the Facebook group has served as a rallying point for the University community?s support.

?Her friends have been great, and the hospital has been excellent,? Eric Chason said.

Through the updates, her parents have informed the community of their daughter?s medical status ? she is currently in serious condition ? and of their outlook.

?As I write, I feel afraid to say these words, afraid that my perceptions are not really true, but as her mother I just know what I know,? Cate Chason wrote Tuesday.

Lillian Chason will continue on life support until her lungs can function without it. Until then, Eric Chason said there is only one thing to do.

?Right now, it?s just a matter of waiting,? he said.

Most who have contracted the virus have recovered without requiring medical treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and college students around the country have joked about the hand sanitizer bottles and face masks that have followed the outbreak.

But more than 300 people died from the virus between April and July of this year.

Eric and Cate Chason have said they welcome letters and cards and have thanked the community for their prayers.

?We hope that she will start to improve soon as ? she kicks out the virus that is infecting her, but time is an important factor,? Eric Chason wrote on the Facebook page.

http://www.dailytarheel.com/content/student-hospitalized-%EF%AC%82u-complications

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

Update: 12/4, 3pm

There have been quite a few news stories coming out about Lillian's case. Last night, our local ABC new channel did a 2-minute story. Now, Elon University has some students working on the story for Phoenix 14 news.

Update: 12/3, 9pm (from her father Eric's post)

"Lillian has had a very nice, quiet, stable day. Dr. Charles decided to try to let her rest - he didn;t do any bronchoscopies or turn her today. Her oxygentation didn;t improve but it stayed steady. Her lung volumes also didn;t change much but may have improved incrementally. Same with her xrays. So it's still a ma...tter of wating for Lil to heal but she seems strong while she waits.

Also, her sedation seemed to be lighter today and she seemed aware of our presence. I sang her all the songs I know and Cate, Hannah and other visitors talked to her all day. Her heart rate was also more stable and her blood pressure didn;t go through periods of high values like yesterday. We'd like to think it was because she was more aware."

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183280774868&ref=search&sid=1628323562.2634561355..1

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

Update: 12/4, 5pm (from her father Eric's post)

"Lil has had another quiet stable day but still no improvement. We are still waiting for her lungs to start working but they remain very stiff. She is handling the ECMO machine well but she can't stay on it forever. So we'd like to see her lungs volume start to increase when the ventilator blows air into them.

Right now the volume increases to around 90 mL with each puff of the machine. If you'd like to visualize something, think about that number increasing to 200 or 300 mL for each cycle. Ultimately, it needs to get up to about 500 mL.

Those who know Lil know how much she likes the holiday season. So we've started playing Christmas music in her room (one of the chaplain's brought a CD over when I told her). Let's hope she'll be home by Christmas."

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183280774868&ref=search&sid=1628323562.2634561355..1

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

Update 12/5 9am (From her mother Cate's post)


"For those of you who are thinking in numbers, the top number on the ventilation machine went up to 128 around 5:30 this morning. (Yesterday it was in the 90's most of the day). The bottom number is over a hundred.

For the past 3 days she has been very slowly but very steadily climbing. I am imagining by the end of the day we will be at least steady in the 130's -- and (of course) climbing.


I believe that she will come to a number (soon) that will be a magic number where her lungs will have healed enough that she can recognize they are there. Then she will consciously take that first little breath, without anxiety. At that point, Dr. Charles and all of these incredibly sensitive brilliant compassionate technicians will begin weaning her off of ECMO. This is my vision. Would you care to join me?"

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183280774868&ref=search&sid=1628323562.2634561355..1

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

SUNDAY PRAYER VIGIL @ 3pm, UNC Hospital

We'd like to hold another prayer vigil for Lillian on Sunday, Dec 6 at 3pm at UNC Hospital's Children's Chapel. There will be no formal program, and all beliefs will be respected. Participants are welcome to share or just to listen. If you would like, bring a favorite prayer or passage or poem or song to share. Of course, people may also speak extemporaneously.

Update 12/6 9am (From her mother Cate's post)

Lillian is stable.
Her numbers are only very slightly higher.
I have been here at the hospital since 3 am (I think).
She is very much at peace.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183280774868&ref=search&sid=1628323562.2634561355..1

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

A New Way To Treat H1N1 At UNC Hospitals
12/06/09 06:50PM

By Lynda-Marie Taurasi
WCHL News Director

Dr. Charles van der Horst, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at UNC, says Lillian Chason, the UNC student in critical condition with swine flu, has been receiving a new form of treatment.


Relenza, or properly known as Zanamivir, is usually inhaled for treating and preventing influenza. Dr. van der Horst and colleague Christopher Hurt, from UNC?s Center for Infectious Diseases, are each leading the first studies of medications for IV treatment of influenza.

Dr. van der Horst says Chason?s case is a good example for why IV treatment for the flu, whether seasonal or H1N1, is over due. The UNC freshman is on a ventilator and cannot be orally administered Tamiflu and can?t inhale the aerosolized Relenza.


To receive the treatment intravenously, a patient has to be hospitalized with the flu for at least five days. Dr. van der Horst?s study is open to pregnant women and patients on ventilators, like Chason.

Novel H1N1 hasn?t shown the resistance to Relenza as it has with Tamiflu.

Last month, three people infected with a mutation of H1N1 that is resistant to Tamiflu died at Duke University Hospital.

http://www.wchl1360.com/detailswide.html?id=12650

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

College students immune to calls for vaccination

Updated: Today at 6:24 p.m.

Chapel Hill, N.C. ? Area college campuses have plenty of supply of the H1N1 flu vaccine, but not so many students lining up to get it.
Public health officials said having students living in close quarters in dormitories puts them at higher risk for contracting the H1N1 virus. They expressed concern that many students don't think they need to be vaccinated.

"I guess I would have liked to see some lines right now," said Mary Beth Koza, environmental health and safety director at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

UNC has held immunization clinics at the Frank Porter Graham Student Union on campus in recent weeks, but it's never experienced the lines that clinics held by county health departments have seen repeatedly since October.

"I thought everyone would be knocking down our doors, and the first week we had it on campus, we had a great response," Koza said, adding that demand has tailed off since then.

The university has distributed less than half of its 14,000 doses of vaccine so far, she said.

Although H1N1 has left UNC freshman Lillian Chason in critical condition at UNC Hospitals, many students said they aren't worried about catching the virus.

"I've been around it a lot the first week of school, and I didn't get it. So, I don't know, I'm taking my chances," UNC sophomore Taylor Haskin said.

"I think most of us think the worst of it has already happened, so a lot of people just kind of think there is not really a big risk anymore," UNC senior Chelsea Hicks said.

Health officials said pandemics like H1N1 tend to come in three waves, and the U.S. is in the second wave. The vaccine could head off a third one, they said.

"It's frustrating to me because I know I have the vaccine. I know I can prevent the third wave," Koza said.

Officials predict the third wave of H1N1 could come during the traditional period for seasonal flu, from February to April. The holiday travel season could accelerate the arrival of that wave, they said.

Even people who think they've had H1N1 should get the vaccine unless they actually were tested for the virus, health officials said.

Koza said about 15 percent of students, faculty and staff at UNC have been vaccinated, which is the highest rate at area universities.

About 11 percent of the student population at North Carolina State University has been vaccinated, while more than 9 percent of eligible students at Duke University have received the vaccine, officials said.

North Carolina Central University officials couldn't provide figures for vaccinated students, noting the school plans to hold its first major immunization clinic on Wednesday.

UNC freshman Courtney Kelly had a confirmed case of H1N1 earlier this year, and she urged other students to get vaccinated.

"I would say, if you have the opportunity, go ahead," Kelly said. "It's not fun, so if you can avoid it, it's a good thing."

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6567869/

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

Update: Mon. 12/7, 10pm (from her father Eric's post)

"Today was a difficult day for Lil. Her heart stopped for awhile after they changed her ECMO circuit. They kept giving her CPR and eventually she returned to us. I can't tell you what a miracle it was to see how strong a fighter she is. There were some other setbacks but she is now stable - the numbers are about the same as they were yesterday. But we pray for her to make more progress in the coming days. Keep hoping to see 300 mL on her lung volume."

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183280774868&ref=search&sid=1628323562.2634561355..1

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

Update: Wednesday, 8am (from her father Eric's post)

"Yesterday was much quieter than Monday (thankfully). Lil was stable all day and then her oxygen saturation rose some in the afternoon (from the low 70's to 90) which is a good thing. It stayed in the high 80's all night which may indicate her lungs are getting ready to start opening up. Her volume still hasn't increased, which has to happen as her useable lung space gets bigger. But it is hopeful sign."

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183280774868&ref=search&sid=1628323562.2634561355..1

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

Update: Thursday, 11am (from her father Eric's post)

"Yesterday was a long day after the improvements on Tuesday. She has an infection but it seems to be responding to new anitbiotics. As Dr Charles and the nurses remind us, it is two baby steps forward and one step back. She rested through the night and got back to sats of 85, but became uncomfortable this morning at ...5 AM when the sedation wore off. It was hard to see her uncomfortable, but it also shows she is still fighting. The pharmacist is working hard to keep ahead of her as she builds up tolerance to the different medications. But she seems to be comfortable again - now we are waiting for her sats to recover and the healing process to continue."

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183280774868&ref=search&sid=1628323562.2634561355..1

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

Update: Thursday 7pm (from her father Eric's post)

"The first thing that Dr Charles asked this morning was had I seen the x-ray yet. When I said no, he pulled it up and he pointed out the first signs of improvement in Lil's lungs that we have seen. There are now some dark areas that were previously white, showing that the lungs are less fluid-filled in some places. ... She is on a new type of ventilator so we can no longer measure her tidal volumes (the number that we want to reach 500). But her oxygen saturation has also gone up considerably (into the 90's most of the day). She is still fighting off an infection and there are many other potential pitfalls, but this is the most encouraging thing we have seen in several weeks."

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183280774868&ref=search&sid=1628323562.2634561355..1

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

North Carolina Student on Life Support with H1N1

UNC drama lecturer Mark Perry first met freshman Lillian Chason (left) when she tried out for the play "A New Dress for Mona" in the fall.

"She's a lot like our main character ... she really fit in well," said Perry.

Now, instead of fitting into costumes and rehearsing lines, the Dramatic Arts major remains in critical condition at UNC Hospitals after contracting the H1N1 virus last month.

Dr. Charles Van der Horst says Chason has received treatment for the virus since November 20th and is hooked up to a life-support machine that acts like an external lung.

Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventative medicine at the University of Vanderbilt, said Chason is in the age group where the virus is the most active but her grave condition is very uncommon.

?Pneumonia is far and away the most common reason people become gravely ill with influenza,? said Schaffner. ?It is unusual and uncommon in an otherwise healthy adult population, but it does happen and it can make you obviously gravely ill.?

Perry and the rest of the 'Mona' cast visited Chason's parents, who flew down from Rhode Island to be with their daughter, after hearing from her mother that Chason was getting worse. It was after the visit that Perry decided to create the Facebook group, "Prayers for Lillian".

More than 7,000 members have joined the group since Perry created it on November 24th. Friends from UNC and Rhode Island, as well as some who have never met Chason, continue to offer their prayers and well wishes from across the state and nation.

One user wrote that she remembers seeing Chason?s face around campus and is praying for her safe recovery.

"I have never formally met you but find myself rushing to this group every time I'm on Facebook hoping to see that you have woken up and are getting healthy again," she wrote.

Julian Hayes, a senior at UNC, met Chason during rehearsal for ?A New Dress for Mona.? He characterized Chason as ?bubbly, vivacious and good-humored.?

?She was never scared to share her opinion about the writing or directing of the play,? Hayes said. ?I always admired her spunk.?

Freshman Dillon Rice, another ?Mona? cast member, said it ?was like getting hit by a truck? when he found out that Chason was being put on life support.
?If you had told me two weeks ago that Lillian would still be in the hospital today, I wouldn?t have believed you,? Rice said. ?However I?m so grateful that she?s still fighting, and I can?t wait for her to get better.?

Lillian?s parents, Eric and Cate Chason, write daily updates on the condition of their daughter on the Facebook page and encourage individuals who want to send well wishes to Lillian to follow the Facebook group.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/campuschatter/2009/12/north-carolina-student-on-life-support-with-h1n1.html

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Re: RI teen with H1N1 on life support

Blood drive being organized for freshman on life support

December 11, 2009
From staff reports

A blood drive will be held Tuesday for a freshman who has spent more than two weeks on life support at UNC Hospitals for complications from the H1N1 virus.

Give blood

Time: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday
Place: In front of the Student Union
Register for the blood drive here.

Lillian Chason fell ill shortly before Thanksgiving Break and has been in the hospital since Nov. 20. Her parents, Eric and Cate Chason, has been posting updates on their daughter's condition on a Facebook group, "Prayers for Lillian."

Friends are organizing the drive because the life support machine Chason is on uses a large amount of blood.

Freshamn Zealan Hoover, who met Chason this year, is organizing the blood drive after he learned from Chason's mother that the life support machine she is on uses a large amount of blood.

"Her family wants to give back to the hospital," Hoover said. "They want to leave the hospital with more blood than when they showed up."

Chason, a dramatic arts major, was cast in the lead role in "A New Dress for Mona." The play, scheduled for mid-January, is in rehearsals. The department has kept the lead role open for Chason for when she recovers.

Rex Blood Supplies is taking the donations, which go directly to UNC Hospitals.

The blood drive will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in a Bloodmobile in front of the Student Union. There are about 50 spots still open, but if they all fill up then the blood drive can be extended.

Those who wish to donate may sign up online. E-mail Hoover with any questions.

http://www.dailytarheel.com/content/blood-drive-being-organized-freshman-life-support