The Painful Decision A Parent Can Have: Baby Suffered Meningitis Died In Parents Arms

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A tragic event happened in the family from Bolton, Greater Manchester when their baby was diagnosed to have a Meningitis B which was mistakenly seen to be a common cold. The baby died in the hospital in their arms.

People often describe babies as a gift. Once a person becomes a parent, everything will change. But things happen and becomes worse in an unexpected way like in the case of John and Louise Done and their eight-month-old baby Harry.

According to Daily Mail, symptoms are thought to be just a simple common cold and later on, they found out that it was meningitis B. The day after baby Harry's diagnosis, he finally died in the hospital.

Both John and Louise had to make a very painful decision in choosing to stop Baby Harry's life support after the doctors told them that the infection had left his brain damaged. "We didn't want him to suffer anymore. We had a priest come to bless him and then they took him off the machines and we held him. That was the moment he passed away. He passed away in our arms." Louise said.

In the photos released by The Sun, Louise grieved as she sees Harry's little body unrecognizable. Parts of his hands, fingers, feet and legs turned black and stiff because of blood poisoning. The rash was black, he was swollen and his kidneys weren't working. He just doubles in size.

Meningitis can be easily mistaken as the flu or a hangover in adults. It is an inflammation of the meninges, the lining of the brain and spinal cord that is caused by a type of bacteria called Neisseria meningitides. This infection is spread from person to person through exchanging of respiratory and throat secretions during close or lengthy contact, especially if living in the same household.

Experiencing this kind of disease, adult people tend to be sick with a headache and a blotchy rash that will not fade. Stiffness especially in the neck, drowsiness, cold hands and feet and seizures. But in babies, symptoms might be slightly different. Babies easily get agitated, refuses to eat, having a bulging soft spot in their head, floppy and irresponsive, unusual high-pitched cry and have a stiff body.

Since the incident, the couple, John, and Louise Done started to share the heartbreaking images and their experiences of Baby Harry to each family through every way they can. They switched their efforts to raise awareness of meningitis and the importance of vaccines to prevent the meningococcal disease.

Moreover, John and Louise already have raised £20,059 for meningitis to help other families who are suffering from it. And babies were given a vaccination free of charge.

Starting September 2015, vaccination was included in the childhood immunization program for children born on or after July 2015, which unfortunately was implemented after the loss of Harry. This vaccine is offered to a baby who is two months of age, with a second dose at four months and another at 12 months for free.