Retired bookkeeper and regular gym goer who is currently training for a marathon, Glenys, 66, Sydney, has long held a genuine zest for life and a love of adventure. But when she was struck down by pneumonia during a holiday to New Zealand in June 2013, Glenys was left feeling depleted, lethargic and unproductive for weeks on end.
Diagnosed with the potentially life-threatening, but vaccine-preventable lung infection after returning home to Australia, Glenys was hospitalised for three days, and spent a month mounting a recovery from the infection.
In early 2016 Glenys was vaccinated against the pneumonia. More recently, she was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – a long-term, irreversible condition that affects airflow in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. This diagnosis has placed Glenys at heightened risk of contracting pneumonia and other infections in the future.
Given her first-hand experience with pneumonia, Glenys is now a strong advocate for pneumococcal vaccination.
This is Glenys’ story.
In June 2013, Glenys travelled to New Zealand for 10 days to visit her family. During her holiday, Glenys developed a “tickly throat, sniffly nose and a chesty cough” – common, cold-like symptoms that she initially suspected she had contracted from a sick relative.
Despite taking cold and flu decongestants as a precautionary health measure at the time, Glenys’ health continued to decline.
A couple of days after returning home to Sydney and growing increasingly concerned for her personal welfare, Glenys chose to seek professional advice. She visited her local doctor who armed her with a course of antibiotics to treat her infection and “phlegmy cough”.
“I reacted badly to the initial course of antibiotics I was prescribed. I felt extremely cold and nauseous. I called my doctor who advised me to stop taking the medication, and he promptly prescribed me with another antibiotic. I began the new medication on a Thursday, but by the following Sunday, I was showing no improvement and was starting to cough up blood mixed in with my then discoloured phlegm.
“I was quite concerned at the time, because I knew something wasn’t quite right. So I decided to head to hospital immediately,” said Glenys.
I was taken into an inspection room where I answered a number of questions. I was put in a wheelchair and sent for an X-ray which showed I had a shadow on my right lung. Back in a treatment room at A&E, the duty doctor informed me that I probably had pneumonia.
“I waited quite a long time before the specialist arrived, who confirmed the diagnosis. Then about nine hours after arriving at A&E, I was finally admitted to hospital.”
“My stay in hospital was brief. I was discharged on the Tuesday after spending only two days in hospital and was feeling much better, or so I thought. I continued my medication after returning home and later visited the attending specialist at his practice, who then gave my lungs the all clear,” Glenys said.
“This was my first, and will hopefully be my last, diagnosis of pneumonia.”
Up until then, Glenys had given very little thought to the potentially significant toll pneumonia could wreak on her physical health, let alone her bookkeeping business , from which she was forced to delay visits to her clients for many weeks when they really needed her.
“When I contracted pneumonia at the end of the financial year, it was an extremely busy time for my bookkeeping business.”
“I felt extremely drained for at least a month after leaving hospital. I had absolutely no energy. I wasn’t supposed to work or do household chores,” said Glenys.
This Pneumonia Awareness Week, Glenys is urging Australians at risk of pneumonia, particularly those aged 65 and others living with a medical condition, including those who travel, to visit their doctor as soon as they become unwell or develop cold-like symptoms.
“If you suspect you have a cold coming on, or you have a cold that’s not going away, visit a doctor without delay, even if you’re on holiday,” Glenys said.
“It’s very important for those at risk of pneumococcal pneumonia to protect against the infection through vaccination.”
“I wouldn’t wish pneumonia on anybody. Pneumonia really knocks you about, which can be particularly difficult if you have others depending on you at home, or at work,” said Glenys.
“Vaccination is your best defence against pneumococcal pneumonia.”
To coordinate an interview with Glenys, please contact Kirsten Bruce or Mel Kheradi from VIVA! Communications on 02 9968 3741 or 0401 717 566 / 0421 551 257.