A North Texas man is working to recover after losing both feet to amputation as part of complications from the flu.
The series of serious complications mark the latest example of a dangerous and deadly flu season nationwide and in Texas.
Brian Herndon, 51, was diagnosed with the flu on January 4. He was admitted to a Fort Worth hospital the following day with pneumonia and quickly went into septic shock.
The husband and father of two was airlifted to Baylor Hospital in Dallas on January 6 where he has been for the past four weeks, most of that time intubated and in and out of consciousness.
He spoke with WFAA via Skype from his hospital room Sunday and in a voice just above a whisper shared what the last month has been like
"One minute you’ve got the flu and the next minute you’re septic," Herndon said.
Jaye Herndon says her husband had no underlying medical conditions that would make him more susceptible to more than just typical flu symptoms, like high fever and aches.
"He had a 104.7 temperature right away," Herndon said. "And then he had trouble breathing. We didn't wait, we went to the ER. It was that quick."
Effects of the septic shock led to blood clots in his extremities. Earlier this month both of his feet and lower legs were amputated right above the ankle.
His wife, a nurse by profession, says he will likely lose most of his fingers as well.
She hopes he can move to a rehabilitation stage of recovery in the coming weeks, but for now, it is still day by day.
"Right now I'm still in 'whatever he needs mode'," Herndon said. "That’s what you’re focused on and then you trade out with a family member and you go home and take care of the kids.”
Friends have set up a GoFundMe to help when Brian Herndon begins rehabilitation and will need to acquire prosthetics.
Full flu season coverage:
- 11Alive flu resource guide
- 'She was a beautiful and vibrant young woman.' Parents remember teen who died from flu complications
- Local 15-year-old first pediatric flu-related death in Georgia
- VERIFY | Do masks and wipes help protect you from the flu?
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- Atlanta hospital deploys mobile emergency center to aid flu treatment
- Severe flu still widespread; baby boomers hit especially hard
- Seven more children dead nationwide from flu | Health officials expect that number to rise
- Getting tested for the flu: Sorting through different flu tests, 'false negative' tests and more
- VERIFY: Are children dying from the flu because they were not vaccinated?
- This flu season is worse than past seasons
- Got the flu? Here's when to go to the ER
- Georgia State researchers develop new 'universal' vaccine to fight flu
- VERIFY: Does Tamiflu work and should it be used at all?
- Georgia hospitals with visitation restrictions; No kids under 13 allowed
- This year’s severe flu exposes a serious flaw in our medical system
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