The death of a 25-year-old Calgary mother from the H1N1 virus has left her family reeling and wondering how the otherwise-healthy young woman could have been struck down by the flu so suddenly.
Vanessa Bluebell died in hospital early Thursday just days after being admitted, leaving behind four sons ages 1, 3, 4 and 7.
"We all thought she would just pull through this," said Alvita Kittiekaywinnie of Saskatoon, whose brother, Curtis Kittiekaywinnie, was Ms. Bluebell's common-law partner.
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Ms. Bluebell had been visiting family in Saskatoon with her children when she developed a cough during the second week of June.
The family returned to Calgary about two weeks later, and Ms. Bluebell's cough continued to worsen.
By June 27, Mr. Kittiekaywinnie called an ambulance to their home to take her to hospital, where she was given inhalers and sent home.
Within a day of leaving the hospital, Ms. Bluebell began having seizures and her partner called an ambulance again.
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After her death, Mr. Kittiekaywinnie told their children their mother wasn't coming home.
"The two middle ones still don't really understand," their aunt said.
"But the oldest boy, he's pretty sad."
She said the family doesn't understand why Ms. Bluebell wasn't admitted for the flu when she first arrived at the hospital.
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"It seems like they should have taken her illness more seriously," she said.
"Maybe if they had treated her that first night, she would still be here."
Ms. Bluebell's family was originally from the Yellow Quill First Nation near Saskatoon, where her funeral will be held Monday.