Faces of the Flu: A family torn apart

MORRES HILL, Ind. (WANE) - Mark and Katrina McIntosh are faced with figuring out how to move on after the H1N1 flu virus claimed the lives of their two children.

"It's one of those things that you think won't happen to you and it hit me twice," Katrina said. "They were both healthy. We have no idea why it hit them so hard."

Matt McIntosh, known as "Skinny," was a drummer in his own band, "Strange on Display."

"He was one of the best drummers I ever heard. He rarely missed a beat and he kept the band going. He had a personality that clicked with everyone," Katrina said.

The 19-year-old loved to change his hairstyle to stay unique and dreamed of being famous.

"He was a rock star," Katrina smiled. "He had to change his hair all the time. He wanted it long, wanted it curly or short on the sides and let the middle grow long like a mohawk. One time he had a dreadlock mohawk."

Matt's older sister, Mindy McIntosh, 26, was his biggest fan.

"They were best friends. They were very close. Mindy called Matt her hero," Katrina said.

Mindy worked at a local grocery store and was planning on going back to school for accounting.

"She was so smart and bright. You would only have to show something to her once and she'd get it," Katrina said.

Katrina had heard about the novel H1N1 flu virus on the news, but didn't think much of it.

"I thought it'll happen, but it won't happen to me. Then it got closer to Indiana, but I still hadn't heard of anything in Indiana, so I wasn't going to worry about it," Katrina said.

But, the flu did strike her family.

June 24, 2009: Matt woke up with a fever. He used to get a lot of sinus infections, so they didn't think much of it.

June 26, 2009: Mindy and their father, Mark, got sick too.

"They both went to the doctor, but Mindy didn't get better with the medicine," Katrina said.

June 27, 2009: Matt played two gigs with the band, even though he was sick. He made it through the first one, but went home during the second to rest.

June 28, 2009: Matt coughed up blood and went to the hospital. He was admitted.

June 29, 2009: Mark was better. Matt was moved to the Intensive Care Unit.

June 30, 2009: Matt was flown to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

July 5, 2009: Matt died in the hospital, eleven days after his first symptoms.

July 27, 2009: Mindy died at University of Cincinnati Medical Center after nearly three weeks in the hospital.

"This is the worst thing I'll ever have to do," Katrina said. "It's a new normal."

Katrina can't figure out where her children caught the virus.

"They had been to King's Island the weekend before Matt got sick, so maybe they picked up something up there because there's so many people," she said.

Health officials said most severe cases of the H1N1 flu happen in people with underlying conditions. But, a third of severe cases happen in seemingly healthy people.

"There will be some people who should have an uncomplicated course and won't, and that makes it very difficult," Fort Wayne - Allen County Health Commissioner Dr. Deb McMahan said. "It makes it scary for patients because they can't self-predict if they are more at risk."

The most common symptoms with this strain of H1N1 flu virus is a fever and cough or fever and sore throat, but about a quarter of people with the virus won't have a fever.

The type of people getting hit with this virus is different than seasonal flu.

"Typically we see seasonal flu have complication rates in the very young and very old, but with this particular virus, those most adversely affected are young people, especially 25 years old and younger," Dr. McMahan said.

Dr. McMahan said if you or a loved one gets sick, it doesn't hurt to call the doctor's office, especially if the person who is sick has underlying risk factors like asthma, diabetes or is immune compromised. It's important to tell the doctor's office about those risk factors over the phone.

"But, you need to know when things are getting serious. If they feel confused or light headed, if the fever goes away and comes back, if they cough up phlegm that has color to it, or if a child is confused or irritable, those are things for which you need to seek medical attention right away," Dr. McMahan said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of September 13, 2009, 3,486 people have died from H1N1 in the world. Of those deaths, 593 were in the United States and four were in Indiana.

Two of the four Hoosiers killed came from one family. Now the McIntosh family is learning to find a new normal: a life without their two children.

"Don't take your kids for granted. Always tell your kids you love them so they never doubt it," Katrina said.

Be sure to watch a special program called H1N1: Community on Alert on Monday October 5 at 7 p.m. on NewsChannel 15 or see a live stream on wane.com.  Health experts will answer questions regarding the H1N1 virus.