BUCKS Fizz legend Jay Aston broke down in tears talking about how she came so close to losing her teenage daughter.
Jay’s daughter Josie was rushed to hospital last month and almost died from bacterial meningitis.
3
Despite her daughter remaining in hospital after her organs failing and being put into an induced coma, Jay insisted on raising awareness about the potentially deadly illness.
She told the Loose Women: “We almost lost her.”
The star opened up about how Josie wanted her mum to go public with their experience because she “wants is to make people aware of what happened to her.”
Jay described how her daughter was health and on “fitness kick and was glowing” in the days leading up to her terrifying experience.
“She called me to say she wasn’t feeling well… and she’d been lying in the sun and I thought had a bit of heat stroke,” Jay said.
Josie then complained of a fever, aching neck and sever joint pain.
When Jay’s attempts to bring her temprature didn’t work she called 111 who said they were sending an ambulance.
More than eight hours later, when no ambulance had arrived Jay decided to drive Josie to A&E herself.
It was at this point on the ITV panel show that Jay became overwhelmed and burst into tears.
“I had her in my bed with me and she woke up at about 3am and told me, ‘I’m not right’,” Jay started.
Most read in TV
“If she was in her own room I might not have a daughter.”
Jay was able to save her daughter’s life because she recognised the signs of meningitis as her husband almost died from it 19 years, so when she spotted marks coming up on her body she took Josie to hospital.
“She [Josie] was my silver lining after almost losing my husband,” she said.
Josie might come home tomorrow and despite the rawness of what happened, Jay said it was important to tell the story.
“Thanks for letting me tell people about it, we wouldn’t want it to happen to anyone else,” she said.
Fans watching at home praised Jay for raising awareness.
“Just watching this on #LooseWomen. So brave of Jay Aston to speak of her daughter’s struggle with meningitis. Be aware,” wrote one fan on Twitter.
Another added:
And a third wrote: “Jay is so so strong, I’m blubbering yet I’m only listening.”
What is meningitis?
It can be mistaken as the flu or even a hangover – but knowing the symptoms of potentially deadly meningitis could save your life.
It is the inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord and can be caused by meningococcal bacteria and viral meningitis.
If it is not treated quickly, meningitis can cause life-threatening septicaemia (blood poisoning) and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves.
The two forms of the disease have different symptoms.
Around 3,200 people a year get bacterial meningitis. One in 10 die and many more are left with life-changing disabilities.
Viral forms of meningitis are less common and rarely life-threatening, but can have lifelong effects.
Infections peak during winter when bugs spread more easily in confined spaces.
Meningitis is usually passed on from people who carry the virus or bacterial form in their throat or nose, but aren’t ill themselves.
It can be spread through kissing, sneezing, coughing and sharing household items such as toothbrushes or cutlery.
It is thought that the bacteria are able to invade the body more easily via the nose and throat during winter due to recent infection with flu virus.
The illness can be caught from someone who is ill with meningitis but this is more rare.
The symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and include:
- A high fever over 37.5 degrees – the average human temperature
- being sick
- a headache
- a blotchy rash that doesn’t fade when a glass is rolled over it
- stiffness, especially in the neck
- sensitivity to bright lights
- drowsiness, irritability or lack of energy
- cold hands and feet
- seizures
With one in ten cases of bacterial meningitis, a disease where bacteria attacks the brain and spinal cord, being fatal, doctors put Josie in an induced coma for five days.
Luckily, Josie turned a corner and came round, starting to speak a day later.
However, she is still not out of the woods as her kidneys are not fully working and may be permanently scarred.
Josie remains in hospital, where she is having dialysis, and at one point Jay feared she may have to have a limb amputated after one toe went black.
Jay said: “It’s quite common to lose limbs when you have meningitis so badly. We thought they might have to amputate it, but luckily, it’s coming back.
“Josie has been incredibly brave, but her spirits are low. She’s not going to be well for months, possibly the rest of the year.”
Bucks Fizz shot to fame in the 80s and had hits such as Making Your Mind Up, which they performed at Eurovision.
The original line up was Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay.
Jay quit the band in 1985, but now she, Cheryl and Mike perform as The Fizz.
Jay battled oral cancer in 2018 and had to have a new tongue made from part of her thigh.
3
3
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The Sun Showbiz team?
