Finally Home

100. Tyler

Samantha was working really hard in physio. She didn't give herself enough credit for the strides she was making. I know she was frustrated that her balance was still off and walking with crutches was challenging, but she was doing so much better.

After her latest appointment, Eric, her physiotherapist, brought up prosthetics again. We looked at some brochures and he made recommendations based on Samantha's previous and current lifestyle.

She didn't seem pleased but resigned anyway.

That night, at home, she was more irritable than usual. And she didn't look right. She looked ... unwell maybe?

"Sam? You okay?" I asked her. She responded very snarkily.

She was being stubborn too. I offered to help her get upstairs when she was heading to bed and she refused. I looked at her blood sugar and it was in range. I followed her upstairs, knocked on her bedroom door and went in without waiting. She hadn't been in there long enough to have started doing anything like changing.

She was snarky when I opened the door but she looked... off. I told her as much.

"I was practically right behind you on the stairs. You wouldn't have had time. I wouldn't walk in if I knew you were changing. But I'm checking on you because you seem... off. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm great. I am just peachy. Fantastic, fabulous."

"What's wrong?" I asked, scrutinizing her.

"Nutha," she said.

"What?"

"No-," then she dropped to the floor and started seizing. I grabbed my phone to time it and called for Jenna. I touched Sam's forehead as she seized. She was burning up with fever.

"Jenna!" I shouted. "Grab the thermometer!"

Jenna came running upstairs with the thermometer and handed it to me. Samantha had stopped seizing. I checked her temperature and saw it was 104.

"Call an ambulance. Something is seriously wrong," I said. Jenna pulled out her phone and dialled for the ambulance. I sat with Samantha in case she woke up.

The ambulance came and Samantha still hadn't regained consciousness. I told them her recent medical history, and about her diabetes. Her blood sugar was in range, so that wasn't the problem. But what was the seizure from? Fatigue? The fever? We might never know.

I went with Samantha in the ambulance. When we got to the hospital, she was taken back right away. They took blood and a urine sample. Sam's temperature had risen to 105.3. She started seizing again. I couldn't contain my tears. My poor daughter.

The seizure lasted thirty incredibly long seconds. Samantha remained unconscious. The staff worked on her, but the resources in the ER are limited. They packed ice packs around Samantha until they were able to admit her and get her up to a room. I held her hand wondering if we'd missed something.

Finally, a bed was found and Samantha was transferred upstairs. Once settled in her room, they got her all set up and covered in ice packs and the cooling blanket we've become so familiar with.

Sam was breathing okay on her own, she just wasn't conscious. No one was sure why. I knew we were here for a good couple of days.

They did all sorts of tests and exams and were able to determine that Sam had another infection in her right leg. When the doctor told us that, I was terrified it would mean another amputation. Sam was just barely coming to terms with having lost her leg. I couldn't see her handling losing more at all.