KDChi Kansas Alum Fights For Her Life

H1N1 flu keeps Wichita woman in ICU
BY KAREN SHIDELER
The Wichita Eagle

   Paul Engren talks Monday, Feb.1, 2010, about his wife Carolina, who has been in intensive care since October, 2009, from complications of an H1N1 infection. Paul Enegren doesn't know how much longer his wife might be in a hospital intensive care bed — and it's been more than three months already. He doesn't know how badly her lungs are damaged, or what her future holds, or why H1N1 influenza had such a serious effect on her. But he knows that Sunday night, Carolina Enegren woke up a little bit and mouthed "hi" to him around her ventilator.
And for that, he feels blessed, though he continues to ask for prayers for his wife and for an awareness of the need for flu shots. The Enegrens had received their seasonal flu shots. Because their two boys are young and in preschool programs, they'd planned to be vaccinated against H1N1 as well, but vaccine wasn't yet widely available in the fall, as it is now.

Carolina, who is 31, was the first of the family to become ill from the H1N1 virus, back in mid-October. Paul, 33, and their two sons, Phillip-Antonio, 4, and Nicholas-Emilio, 2, also got sick. They all got better within a few days. But Carolina was left with a cough. And it got worse. "It's not the H1N1 that makes you sick, it's your body's reaction to it," Paul said Monday from a small family room at Wesley Medical Center that has become a second home.

In Carolina's case, the cough progressed into acute respiratory distress syndrome, a lung condition that prevents enough oxygen from getting to the blood. By Oct. 24, Carolina had to be hospitalized. She was moved to intensive care Oct. 27. Weeks and weeks later, she was recovering. "She was coming off the ventilator, talking," he said. But the respiratory distress had left holes in her lungs that had to be repaired, Paul said, and the surgery to do so sent her spiraling downward again. A week ago, "it wasn't looking too good." Family and friends prepared for the worst. Even now, "she's critically ill. Medicines. Ventilator. Pretty much the whole nine yards," Paul said. But Sunday night, she woke up a little bit. "That just started happening," Paul said.

Carolina wasn't at risk for influenza complications. She doesn't smoke or drink. She's active and fit and otherwise healthy and "without a doubt, the best mom I've ever seen."
Carolina and Paul met while they were students at Northwest High School. Their relationship continued long distance when he went to Arizona for college while she went to Wichita State University. They married in 2004, "just kind of a fairy-tale dream," Paul said. When their children were born, Carolina decided to stay home with them. She'd returned to school a year ago, to work on an art degree to go along with her degree in biology. She's an accomplished artist, Paul said, and at one point wanted to be a medical illustrator. With his parents, he owns LS Industries and Winona Van Norman. He is international sales manager, a position that allows him to do much of his work by phone and computer from Carolina's bedside. Both of them have big families and lots of friends, so someone is with Carolina 24 hours a day. Their sons have been to visit a couple of times — they're much too young to be regular visitors, but exceptions were made because of the severity of Carolina's condition.

The boys are doing great, Paul said, though they miss their mother. Paul doesn't know what the future holds for Carolina. "Every day she has a good day, it's a chance for her lungs to heal some," he said. But her lungs still are damaged and distressed — they weren't totally repaired during the surgery in January, she's still on a ventilator, and no one knows yet how much scar tissue there might be. Carolina has to be off the ventilator before she can be moved to rehabilitation. And because no one knows how her lungs are, no one knows how long rehabilitation will take.

Long term, Paul doesn't know whether his wife might require oxygen or other help.
But he does know some things: "We're a family of faith, and prayers are always welcome."
And "Even now we're a blessed family, very blessed." And most important, "She's going to make it out of here. She's going to be fine.... No matter what, it'll be a good life."

Reach Karen Shideler at 316-268-6674 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Courtesy Eyewitness News 12, a CBS News affiliate:
Wichita Family: H1N1 Still a Threat
Carolina and Paul Enegren Carolina and Paul Enegren
by Michael Schwanke (WICHITA, Kan)

H1N1 may not be in the news much anymore, but Paul Enegren thinks about it every day.
"She's been in the hospital since October 24th and ICU since the 27th," says Paul talking about his wife, Carolina. Before getting H1N1, 31-year-old Carolina was perfectly healthy. Paul now spends every day at the hospital, and nights with their two young sons.
Paul says the whole family got H1N1.  He and the boys recovered quickly, but Carolina's body reacted differently.  It overreacted causing severe lung damage.

Paul is asking for prayers, and although the prognosis isn't good, his hope isn't fading.
"I think a lot of people still aren't quite sure that it's something real.  It's very real."
Doctors agree and say although there are few cases now, that could change.

"Although the 2009 H1N1 flu virus has been less active lately, it is still circulating and remains a threat," said Dr. Eberhart-Phillips. "Flu activity normally peaks in February or March in Kansas, and it is possible that a similar pattern will occur this year with H1N1."
In addition to vaccination, individuals are encouraged to take the following steps to reduce its spread:

* Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to get rid of most germs and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
* If you become sick, stay home until at least 24 hours after fever or signs of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications, in order to avoid spreading illness to co-workers and friends.
* Cough or sneeze into a tissue and properly dispose of used tissues.  If you do not have a tissue, cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow and not your hands. 
* Stay healthy by eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and getting adequate rest and exercise. 

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