How an Ebola Patient Dies
So with the Ebola outbreak being so widely covered by the news thought I'd write up something on what the patient (pt) goes through. It is crazy. The news doesn't portray just how awful the death is these patients experience. (not trying to debate the relevance of world-wide spread paranoia. Just wanted to portray something not shared in mainstream media)
Summarized with personal commentary from the book
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston
^ I cant recommend it enough if you are interested in the true story of an Ebola outbreak and the government response to try and contain its spread.
Day 7
o So around day 7 after the initial virus exposure, the virus has replicated and spread enough throughout the body for the symptoms begin.
o It starts as a band-like headache with eye throbbing.
Day 10 and onward
o The pt begins to get nauseated with vomiting. A fever spikes.
o The vomiting starts as extremely intense and turns into dry heaves as the body has no more contents to expel.
o The pt face begins to lose its personalization and signs of life. It turns into an expressionless mask. With the eyelids drooping the eyeballs become fixed with a 1000 yard stare and microvascular hemorrhages turn the white of the eyes red with blood
o The patient develops the yellow-tinged skin associated with jaundice. Small, star-like speckles begin to appear on the skin as the body begins to experience micro-hemorrhage throughout.
o The patient becomes zombie-like. The virus is replicating at an alarming rate and spreading rapidly from cell to cell of the host victim. The brain parenchyma is being affected and the former personality of the patient is being taken over. The once highly functional being that use to be the patient, is being reverted to a animalistic shell with the sole purpose of staying alive long enough for the virus to replicate and then, when the moment is right, leave and find a new victim.
o As the body works feverishly to stop the systemic micro-hemorrhages, the clotting factors used to stop the bleeding are used up and cant be replenished by the invaded and mal-functioning liver.
o With the body unable to clot, the patient begins to drip, cough, and vomit blood. The eyes become ruby red with blood. The vomit negro, or the black vomit has begun. The black is made of two components, the blood is bright red and arterial, the black specs are loaded with infectious virus, trying to escape and find its new host. But it isnt really trying hard yet.
o What started as small star-like speckles have expanded into huge purple hematomas. The expressive facial muscles that once reflected the vibrant life of the individual transformed from being fixed to now drooping and appear to be hanging off the bone. The connective tissue is being dissolved.
o Internally, the already wrecked homeostasis has collapsed. The clots that had formed throughout the body are now dislodging and causing embolitic clots everywhere; the liver, kidneys, lungs, hands, feet, head ..the pt is having a body-wide stroke. The blood supply to the intestine is being cut off and begins to go ischemic and die.
o The brain at this point is experiencing an ischemic hell. The patient doesnt even experience pain anymore and the personality, memories, and overall function is being wiped away and literally liquefied. Now, only the deepest parts of the brain and brain stem are functioning, the bare essentials to keep the body alive for the virus. This part of the disease process is called depersonalization.
o The bleeding is profuse now; there is nothing the body can do now to stop the bleeding.
o Socially, the patient cant form words any longer. They dont want to be touched, they dont want interaction. They are unaware of their surroundings. They may know their name but cant explain anything else.
o The patient is quite literally a walking virus bomb at this point. The hemorrhaging has caused the stomach to be distended with viral blood.
The Viral Bomb Explodes
o The last phase of the virus consists of the virus major attempt to finding a new host, and the final sacrifice of the victim. Biohazard experts refer to this as the patient crashed and bled out or gone down
o The pt becomes dizzy and weak from the combination of hypovolemia, tissue destruction, and unimaginable systemic imbalance. The spine goes limp and the patient goes into shock, collapsing.
o The patient begins to choke on this blood. There is a sound like a bed sheet being torn in half. That is the sound of the bowels tearing opening and venting blood as the intestinal lining sloughs off.
o Virus dense Blood pours from literally every orifice and the virus is ready to find a new host as the host has finally succumbed to the viral occupation. Now just for a route to a persons system.
So with the Ebola outbreak being so widely covered by the news thought I'd write up something on what the patient (pt) goes through. It is crazy. The news doesn't portray just how awful the death is these patients experience. (not trying to debate the relevance of world-wide spread paranoia. Just wanted to portray something not shared in mainstream media)
Summarized with personal commentary from the book
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston
^ I cant recommend it enough if you are interested in the true story of an Ebola outbreak and the government response to try and contain its spread.
Day 7
o So around day 7 after the initial virus exposure, the virus has replicated and spread enough throughout the body for the symptoms begin.
o It starts as a band-like headache with eye throbbing.
Day 10 and onward
o The pt begins to get nauseated with vomiting. A fever spikes.
o The vomiting starts as extremely intense and turns into dry heaves as the body has no more contents to expel.
o The pt face begins to lose its personalization and signs of life. It turns into an expressionless mask. With the eyelids drooping the eyeballs become fixed with a 1000 yard stare and microvascular hemorrhages turn the white of the eyes red with blood
o The patient develops the yellow-tinged skin associated with jaundice. Small, star-like speckles begin to appear on the skin as the body begins to experience micro-hemorrhage throughout.
o The patient becomes zombie-like. The virus is replicating at an alarming rate and spreading rapidly from cell to cell of the host victim. The brain parenchyma is being affected and the former personality of the patient is being taken over. The once highly functional being that use to be the patient, is being reverted to a animalistic shell with the sole purpose of staying alive long enough for the virus to replicate and then, when the moment is right, leave and find a new victim.
o As the body works feverishly to stop the systemic micro-hemorrhages, the clotting factors used to stop the bleeding are used up and cant be replenished by the invaded and mal-functioning liver.
o With the body unable to clot, the patient begins to drip, cough, and vomit blood. The eyes become ruby red with blood. The vomit negro, or the black vomit has begun. The black is made of two components, the blood is bright red and arterial, the black specs are loaded with infectious virus, trying to escape and find its new host. But it isnt really trying hard yet.
o What started as small star-like speckles have expanded into huge purple hematomas. The expressive facial muscles that once reflected the vibrant life of the individual transformed from being fixed to now drooping and appear to be hanging off the bone. The connective tissue is being dissolved.
o Internally, the already wrecked homeostasis has collapsed. The clots that had formed throughout the body are now dislodging and causing embolitic clots everywhere; the liver, kidneys, lungs, hands, feet, head ..the pt is having a body-wide stroke. The blood supply to the intestine is being cut off and begins to go ischemic and die.
o The brain at this point is experiencing an ischemic hell. The patient doesnt even experience pain anymore and the personality, memories, and overall function is being wiped away and literally liquefied. Now, only the deepest parts of the brain and brain stem are functioning, the bare essentials to keep the body alive for the virus. This part of the disease process is called depersonalization.
o The bleeding is profuse now; there is nothing the body can do now to stop the bleeding.
o Socially, the patient cant form words any longer. They dont want to be touched, they dont want interaction. They are unaware of their surroundings. They may know their name but cant explain anything else.
o The patient is quite literally a walking virus bomb at this point. The hemorrhaging has caused the stomach to be distended with viral blood.
The Viral Bomb Explodes
o The last phase of the virus consists of the virus major attempt to finding a new host, and the final sacrifice of the victim. Biohazard experts refer to this as the patient crashed and bled out or gone down
o The pt becomes dizzy and weak from the combination of hypovolemia, tissue destruction, and unimaginable systemic imbalance. The spine goes limp and the patient goes into shock, collapsing.
o The patient begins to choke on this blood. There is a sound like a bed sheet being torn in half. That is the sound of the bowels tearing opening and venting blood as the intestinal lining sloughs off.
o Virus dense Blood pours from literally every orifice and the virus is ready to find a new host as the host has finally succumbed to the viral occupation. Now just for a route to a persons system.
