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Living with the legacy of E.coli | Living with the legacy of E.coli |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Sharon Mills said she is still suffering after her son Mason's death Report into fatal E.coli outbreak As a report from the public inquiry into Wales' largest E.coli outbreak is published, those who were affected by it have spoken of the long-term impact it has had on their lives. | |
When Sharon Mills talks about the "horrific" effects E.coli had on her son, she looks haunted. | When Sharon Mills talks about the "horrific" effects E.coli had on her son, she looks haunted. |
As she lists the catalogue of pain and suffering Mason endured before he died, it is hard to comprehend that the five-year-old picked up the food poisoning bug from contaminated meat served at his school. | As she lists the catalogue of pain and suffering Mason endured before he died, it is hard to comprehend that the five-year-old picked up the food poisoning bug from contaminated meat served at his school. |
But Sharon, from Deri, in Bargoed, Caerphilly County, is all too aware of the causes of the illness that led to her son's death in 2005. | But Sharon, from Deri, in Bargoed, Caerphilly County, is all too aware of the causes of the illness that led to her son's death in 2005. |
And as a report is published from the public inquiry into the outbreak, which affected 157 people, she faces a future knowing that, while it may help others, it is too late for her family. | |
"E.coli is a very nasty thing. It just seeps through the body," she told BBC Wales' Week in Week Out programme. | "E.coli is a very nasty thing. It just seeps through the body," she told BBC Wales' Week in Week Out programme. |
"In Mason's case part of his kidneys had died, his intestines were eaten away. If he had survived, he would have had to be drip fed, he wouldn't be the same child. | "In Mason's case part of his kidneys had died, his intestines were eaten away. If he had survived, he would have had to be drip fed, he wouldn't be the same child. |
Because Mason suffered terribly, it was horrific to see what he had to go through. I think people really need to be aware of that now Sharon Mills | Because Mason suffered terribly, it was horrific to see what he had to go through. I think people really need to be aware of that now Sharon Mills |
"Maybe he would have faced life in a wheelchair or another scenario was he might have been in hospital for the rest of his life. | "Maybe he would have faced life in a wheelchair or another scenario was he might have been in hospital for the rest of his life. |
"Mason suffered seizures, suffered blood poisoning, it shut down his veins, stopped his urine output. | "Mason suffered seizures, suffered blood poisoning, it shut down his veins, stopped his urine output. |
"It can have very bad consequences concerning brain damage. It can affect the eye sight, it can lead them to go blind. It's got terrible, terrible outcomes." | "It can have very bad consequences concerning brain damage. It can affect the eye sight, it can lead them to go blind. It's got terrible, terrible outcomes." |
She added: "Because Mason suffered terribly, it was horrific to see what he had to go through. I think people really need to be aware of that now." | She added: "Because Mason suffered terribly, it was horrific to see what he had to go through. I think people really need to be aware of that now." |
She said life will never be the same for her again. | She said life will never be the same for her again. |
Seeing children Mason's age, seeing his old school friends and tucking her other two children into bed each night - and not their brother - is now "mental torture all the time". | Seeing children Mason's age, seeing his old school friends and tucking her other two children into bed each night - and not their brother - is now "mental torture all the time". |
"The normal things that so many families take for granted and I have lost it," she added. | "The normal things that so many families take for granted and I have lost it," she added. |
"I have lost any normality that I had." | "I have lost any normality that I had." |
'Panic mode' | 'Panic mode' |
Garyn Price was luckier than Mason - although he still suffers from the effects of the E.coli bug he contracted. | Garyn Price was luckier than Mason - although he still suffers from the effects of the E.coli bug he contracted. |
The 13-year-old, who lives in Caerphilly, is no stranger to illness or pain having suffered a stroke when he was six. | The 13-year-old, who lives in Caerphilly, is no stranger to illness or pain having suffered a stroke when he was six. |
But what made his second illness so hard to bear was the fact that it could have been prevented, his mother Julie said. | But what made his second illness so hard to bear was the fact that it could have been prevented, his mother Julie said. |
"The pain of E.coli was much worse than what happened in 2002 with the stroke," she said. | "The pain of E.coli was much worse than what happened in 2002 with the stroke," she said. |
"It's something that could have been avoided. That was the bitterest pill for all of us, including Garyn, to swallow. | "It's something that could have been avoided. That was the bitterest pill for all of us, including Garyn, to swallow. |
"That all this was down to somebody cutting corners and not being hygienic. That was very, very hard to take." | "That all this was down to somebody cutting corners and not being hygienic. That was very, very hard to take." |
I'm not really over it yet. I worry about if it's going to happen again to someone else Garyn Price | I'm not really over it yet. I worry about if it's going to happen again to someone else Garyn Price |
Garyn suffered renal failure and had to be airlifted to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool for treatment. | Garyn suffered renal failure and had to be airlifted to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool for treatment. |
It is something that still affects him. | It is something that still affects him. |
"Psychologically, Garyn is still paranoid about where he gets takeaways from, what he eats" said Mrs Price. | "Psychologically, Garyn is still paranoid about where he gets takeaways from, what he eats" said Mrs Price. |
"If he gets an upset stomach, just slightly upset stomach, he goes into complete panic mode, you know 'have I got E.coli?' which sometimes we try to brush over but at the end of the day he's 13-years-old, he shouldn't have to worry about things like that." | "If he gets an upset stomach, just slightly upset stomach, he goes into complete panic mode, you know 'have I got E.coli?' which sometimes we try to brush over but at the end of the day he's 13-years-old, he shouldn't have to worry about things like that." |
Garyn, who is now in secondary school, said he still has worries about the illness. | Garyn, who is now in secondary school, said he still has worries about the illness. |
"I thought I was going to die. The needles weren't all that bad because I was used to them but it was really frightening," he said. | "I thought I was going to die. The needles weren't all that bad because I was used to them but it was really frightening," he said. |
"I'm not really over it yet. I worry about if it's going to happen again to someone else, you know? And if it might happen around here again and my friends might have it." | "I'm not really over it yet. I worry about if it's going to happen again to someone else, you know? And if it might happen around here again and my friends might have it." |
Week In Week Out will be on BBC One Wales at 2100 GMT on Thursday. | Week In Week Out will be on BBC One Wales at 2100 GMT on Thursday. |