Page 4 • Wednesday , May 16 , 2018 • The Hammonton Gazette
Daniel Lash recovering from severe case of West Nile Virus
LASH , from Page 1 first four years of retirement as the owner of a construction company , Lash Construction LLC . Mary Lash described her husband as a “ workaholic ,” but his fast-paced lifestyle came screeching to a halt in August 2017 when a fever of 103 F , difficulty breathing and severe body tremors sent him to the emergency room .
“ I could see there was something in his eyes ; his eyes didn ’ t look right . And he was having tremors the night before — the whole bed was shaking ,” Mary Lash said .
Two different antibiotics were not enough to mitigate Daniel Lash ’ s fever , and he was transferred to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center ’ s Mainland campus in Galloway Twp ., where he collapsed due to viral encephalitis ( swelling of the brain ).
Daniel Lash said he was shocked by how rapidly the virus had struck him , considering his previous record of health .
“ What ’ s amazing is it took me right out . A lot of times , they tell you that you have to be unhealthy to get it . That ’ s not true ; that ’ s a false fact there . If you just happened to get bit by the right mosquito , you ’ re going to be in trouble ,” Daniel Lash said .
Daniel Lash ’ s condition worsened , and he was eventually put on life support . He remained admitted at the hospital in Galloway Twp . for five days without receiving a diagnosis until he was transferred to Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia , where after a series of tests — including three spinal taps — it was confirmed that Daniel Lash had a severe case of WNV , which both he and doctors were not sure he would survive .
“ They said , ‘ We ’ d like to tell you that he ’ s going to make it , but we really don ’ t know if he ’ s going to .’ They really didn ’ t know . And on that same day , he said to me , ‘ I think I ’ m going to die .’ It was just a horrible nightmare ,” Mary Lash said .
Mary Lash said she strongly believes her husband contracted the virus in Hammonton last summer , citing two positive WNV samples that were detected during ground sprayings and collections by the Atlantic County Office of Mosquito Control in September 2017 .
“ I know they don ’ t live in a house in my backyard , but I have a very , very strong feeling with both of those collections coming back and testing positive — and they were big containers they took out ,” Mary Lash said .
Although there have been numerous confirmed cases of WNV in New Jersey in years ’ past , Mary Lash said she was told by doctors at Pennsylvania Hospital that a case of WNV as severe as the one her husband suffered from was highly uncommon and did not pose favorable odds of survival .
“ They said had he been a small child or a woman , [ he ] would have never made it ... And they said , ‘ We really don ’ t know how he ’ s going to progress because we don ’ t have other cases to compare it to with the severity that he has had ,” Mary Lash said .
Despite the significant uncertainty surrounding his illness , Daniel Lash pulled through , was released from the hospital in December and is now back home recovering . He said he ’ s about “ 60 percent ” towards a full recovery and is regularly going to physical therapy to regain the ability to walk on his own due to the virus ’ neurological side-effects , which he compared to those experienced in the aftermath of a stroke .
“ I ’ m praying to make a full recovery . Will I make it to 100 per-
Courtesy Photo
Mary and Dan Lash want to warn the community about West Nile Virus . cent ? I don ’ t know . Probably , closer together . maybe , maybe not , but I ’ ll take “ I can ’ t believe what I ’ ve gone whatever I can get . My main thing through — and Dan ’ s going through is : if I can get walking , that would it — and how strong we both are , make me a lot happier . When and how strong we ’ ve made our relationship . It could either pull you you ’ re in a wheelchair , you get a different outlook on life … When together or pull you apart , and with you get paralyzed , you don ’ t know Dan and I , we ’ re just like a team … if you ’ re ever going to come out of We work through problems and it and it works on you and works on mistakes , but it was very , very your mind ,” Daniel Lash said . hard ,” Mary Lash said .
Mary Lash was constantly by her Since returning home , Daniel husband ’ s side throughout the time and Mary Lash have made an effort he was hospitalized , and said the to use his life-threatening experience to educate and raise awareness grave adversity surrounding his situation actually brought them even about WNV to the rest of the community
, and how to avoid it so they don ’ t have to suffer like he did .
“ You realize your wealth and your health can be taken within moments . It just gives you another look on life because I appreciate things now because I ’ m very lucky to be here to look at the trees bloom and I have a lovely wife that I ’ m thankful for , but you realize your life can be taken away at any moment — and it doesn ’ t have to be from the West Nile ; it can be from anything … My concern is to let other people know because I ’ d hate to see anyone else go through this because it is terrible ,” Daniel Lash said .
Mary Lash has also gained a heightened sense of awareness for the risks associated with WNV , and said she is ready to plan accordingly during this upcoming mosquito season .
“ ShopRite , right now , they have these little bands for your wrist — they ’ re mosquito repellant — and I went over there and said , ‘ I ’ m going to buy the whole bin . I ’ m going to wear them all over my body ,’” Mary Lash said .
Daniel Lash recommended that all mosquito repellant used should contain the active ingredient DEET ( diethyltoluamide ) to ensure its effectiveness . He also advised against letting any bodies of standing water stagnate during mosquito season ( summer through fall ), against spending time outside during mosquito season without wearing repellant or extra protective clothing — especially in the late afternoon — and to contact the nearest Mosquito Control office if an excessive number of dead birds are found in an area because it can be a sign of a WNV outbreak .
There are currently no vaccines available to prevent WNV and also no medications to treat it , and people often will exhibit no symptoms when they are infected .
According to the Centers for Disease Control , the odds of experiencing a serious illness from WNV similar to Daniel Lash ’ s is 1 out of 150 , but Mary Lash said that doesn ’ t mean the virus should be overlooked .
“ I just want people to be aware ; educate yourself on the severity . You don ’ t think of it until you watch somebody go through it . Who would think that this would happen ?” Mary Lash said .
For more information about WNV and ways to prevent and manage it , visit www . aclink . org / publicworks / mosquito or call the West Nile Virus hotline at ( 877 ) 64FACTS .