A grieving mom gives a crucial reminder to other parents to have their kids vaccinated for measles after she lost her child to the infectious disease.
Dragana Petrovic, from Serbia, shared her story in the Facebook page Light for Riley. She wanted to share her loss so others can be reminded that measles can be fatal.
MMR Vaccine
The mom shared photos of her beautiful daughter who at age 1 was diagnosed with type 1 autoimmune polyglandular syndrome. She also had hypoparathyroidism due to hypoglycemia and hypocalcemia, and because of these, she could not get the MMR vaccine, which is the common protection against measles, the rubella virus, and mumps. Nadja also often had to stay in hospitals to increase her level of calcium since oral medicines do not work.
Petrovic said her daughter, Nadja, contracted measles from a boy whom they had contact with while the girl was admitted in the hospital in January. Nadja was in intensive care and isolation unit and shared the room with another sick boy, because there was no other room in the department. The girl was later moved to the second floor but due to high transaminases, Nadja had to be moved to the Institute for Mother and Child on Jan. 9.
It was there that Petrovic learned that the boy had measles. She recalled how at the moment her world collapsed since she knew that her little girl would get measles, although she still hoped otherwise.
Tragic Death
Sadly, Nadja went through a high fever and the mom trembled and cried because she already knew what it was. Although, she still hoped that it was not measles. However, Nadja's symptoms grew worst and she became unresponsive. She did not eat, did not drink, and her need for oxygen only got bigger. Petrovic's fears were later confirmed. Her daughter had measles.
Nadja never woke up again. She was hooked to the ventilator because she was barely breathing. Her nose swelled and her mouth bled. She was intubated because of a sudden desaturation, a heart attack and, a fall in pressure. Doctors resuscitated Nadja and she survived, but her battle for life lasted nearly three months.
The little girl survived with the help of the ventilator. Her condition only got worst mid-March. She had lung respiratory distress syndrome and her lung function weakened. Nadja's left lung ruptured and her heart stopped in April. Sadly, the girl could no longer continue the fight and received her angel wings.
The mother said her daughter's death is a reminder to parents that every child has a right to be protected from infectious disease. Petrovic said that Nadja became a victim to remind others that measles can endanger one's life.
