Fort Worth ISD counselor hopes to return to school after flu results in coma, kidney failure

One week after being discharged from the hospital, Lacette Green, the counselor at Rosemont Middle School, sat on her couch watching her sister handle her pill bottles, now relying on assistance for even basic tasks.

However, just a few months earlier, she was thriving, offering guidance to her students until she contracted the flu.

“I only recall going to the nurse to have my temperature checked. That’s the extent of what I remember about being ill,” she recalled.

On December 9, after Lacette phoned her sister Shay Green, complaining of coughing all night and experiencing difficulty breathing, Shay called for an ambulance.

By the time paramedics arrived, Lacette had lost consciousness.

Upon reaching the hospital, the 53-year-old was placed on a ventilator.

“The first week, it was deteriorating progressively. And every single day when I visited, they showed me her lungs, which were becoming increasingly obscured,” Shay Green recounted.

Doctors informed the family that Lacette had contracted influenza A, leading to pneumonia, which swiftly affected her due to her diabetes and the immunosuppressants she takes for her kidney and pancreas transplants received years ago.

“For a while, they struggled to maintain my blood pressure and heart rate, maxing out the medications,” Lacette explained.

“After three or four days, they said, ‘We need to run some tests and consider all options.’ This was concerning for a woman with two master’s degrees, bilingual, and highly educated. It was very frightening,” Shay expressed.

Nevertheless, the family remained optimistic. After nearly six weeks in a coma, Lacette began to exhibit signs of consciousness. Eventually, she started speaking, catching up on the lost time.

“The first clear memory I have is asking my mom a question, and she replied, ‘It’s February the first.’ I was shocked,” Lacette recalled.

Now back home, life has become more challenging.

Doctors have informed Lacette that she requires a new kidney for the second time. Without a familial match, she will have to wait for an organ donor. In the meantime, she undergoes dialysis three times weekly.

To aid with Lacette’s medical expenses, as well as the mortgage and bills, Shay initiated a GoFundMe campaign.

Despite the obstacles, Lacette remains determined to return to her students.

“I would love to finish out this year with my kids,” she expressed.

While the journey ahead may be daunting, Lacette acknowledges that she has overcome challenges before.

“I reflect on it and realize that God’s grace is real and profound because it appeared hopeless, and that’s where He specializes – in the seemingly hopeless,” Lacette concluded.