The flu continues to strike all across our area, sending even normally healthy people to the hospital. As we've been reporting, the flu is widespread here in Florida and across the country. And the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the virus.
92-year-old Barbara Fishman checked into the Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center Wednesday.
“The worst has been not breathing,” said Fishman from her hospital bed.
Her flu-like symptoms were getting too severe to treat at home.
“They called me and they said mom needs some help can you come down to handle things,” said Fred Fishman, Barbara’s son.
Fred, who is also a registered nurse, came down all the way from South Carolina to help care for his mother.
“We tried to treat it at home as long as we could."
Knowing his mom is particularly vulnerable at age 92, they decided she needed emergency care. “At that age, recovery is much more difficult than a younger person,” said Fishman.
“We’ve been seeing a lot of flu over the last two weeks especially,” said Dr. Jaime Snarski. The assistant medical director of the emergency room at the Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center.
She says one thing she’s noticed so far this flu season is that it's hitting all age groups hard.
“We have been seeing some unusual cases this year where younger people who are otherwise healthy are getting a lot sicker than in past years.”
Snarski says it is not too late to get the flu shot and it’s still the best way to protect yourself.
Click here to compare the last flu season to this one.
