A 30-year-old nurse who was hospitalised for nine weeks with an unknown illness died 24 hours after doctors determined she had tuberculosis. Nurse Carianne Franks sent a text to her parents after she was finally diagnosed to say: "Mum, they found out what I have. I've got TB."
After sending the text Carianne was placed into a come. RAF sergeant Carrianne had worked as a flight nurse for 10 years and was on a three-year deployment at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. She was treating people on the coronavirus wards and was one of the first to volunteer to work at London's Nightingale Hospital, reports The Mirror.
Carrianne was due to start her next deployment. She had been spending a few days at home after feeling ill and ended up in Lincoln Hospital, where she remained for five weeks.
Her parents Bev and Chris, from Tuxford, Nottinghamshire, say she was given an autoimmune injection and five types of antibiotics before eventually being discharged. But three days later and ambulance was called and she was rushed back to hospital - this time admitted to Bassetlaw Hospital in Worksop.
Carrianne was treated there for what they thought was an unusual strain of pneumonia but after another three weeks in hospital her health did not improve. Bev said: "On Tuesday she said: 'I think I'm going to die'. She was a nurse and was so frustrated."
A doctor asked for a help from a friend at the infectious diseases unit in Sheffield, who advised the medic to test her for everything they hadn't yet tested for. Carrianne was then given the news that she had tuberculosis.
Dad Chris said: "We could have opened a bottle of Champagne because it was a diagnosis, at that point we didn't know the severity of TB."
By the next morning Carriane had been moved to intensive care for monitoring but was awake and even managed to text her mum. But a short while later mum Bev was called by intensive care staff to say her daughter was being placed in a coma.
Bev said: "We were no more than 18 to 20 minutes getting there, but they had put her to sleep already, we didn't get to say goodbye. She was a nurse and maybe she wanted it that way."
The parents quickly left the hospital to tell Carrianne's two brothers in person that she had been placed in a coma as they didn't want to give them such distressing news over the phone.
But the parents were soon called and told to get back to the hospital immediately.
Bev added: "We were gone less than 20 minutes and we had a call to say that she was really ill.
"We arrived and they were trying to resuscitate her, we watched them jumping on her chest, it was the worst thing to see. Carrianne died at 10.50 that morning."
Dad Chris added: "She didn't stand a chance. We didn't even know about TB, they just didn't test her early enough.
"I feel like somebody should be held accountable. My 30-year-old daughter is gone.
"She was in a respiratory ward and had nine weeks to be tested. She was fit and healthy, they were testing her for HIV, hepatitis, yellow fever, Covid, just not TB.
"If they had found it earlier, she could have been saved."
He added: "This is so sad, Carrianne was so full of life and had everything to live for, we are broken and feel Carrianne was let down by the system."
Carrianne's death is due to go before a jury inquest, although a date is yet to be set.
An RAF spokesman said: "The safety and welfare of all our personnel is, as always, our highest priority, and our thoughts remain with the family, friends and colleagues of Sgt Carrianne Franks at this difficult time.
“Any questions regarding an inquest should be directed to HM Coroner.”
What is TB?
According to the NHS, TB is a bacterial infection spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person.
It mainly affects the lungs, but it can affect any part of the body, including the tummy (abdomen), glands, bones and nervous system.
TB is a potentially serious condition, but it can be cured if it’s treated with the right antibiotics.
What are the symptoms of TB?
- A persistent cough that lasts more than three weeks and usually brings up phlegm, which may be bloody
- Weight loss
- Night sweats
- High temperature (fever)
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Swellings in the neck
