The love story between Aimee and her new husband, Craig, was perfect in every way, and the honeymoon had just begun.
But soon, their dream would turn into a nightmare.
Everything began when Aimee’s daughter, Brogan, started developing black and blue marks all over her body.
When Aimee and Craig got married, Aimee’s 7-year-old daughter, Brogan, was an obvious choice to be a bridesmaid.
But only 14 days after she stood at the altar with her mom and dad, Brogan would be in a hospital bed struggling for her life.
At first, everyone believed that Brogan’s “bruises” were just the result of a kid being a kid, and doctors at a local hospital didn’t take them seriously.
But when the spots spread to the rest of Brogan’s body, Aimee knew that this was something more.
She took Brogan back to the hospital, and this time, the doctors quickly realized the cause.
Brogan showed clear signs of meningitis and was rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Meningococcal meningitis is potentially life threatening and since Brogan’s treatment was started so late, there wasn’t that doctors could do.
In order for the doctors to save Brogan’s life, they would have to amputate her left foot.
“This week has totally changed my outlook on life. It has shown what’s important and what isn’t, who’s there and who isn’t,” Brogan’s mom, Aimee, told the Daily Mail.
The doctors completed the amputation of Brogan’s foot and to help her walk, they equipped her with a prosthetic one.
Then after discovering that Brogan’s leg was also a threat to her life, Brogan’s parents and the doctors agreed that it would also be necessary to amputate her leg.
Even though she was weary and in pain, Brogan was ready for what was ahead of her.
Thankfully, she had massive support from family and relatives.
“Nothing can prepare you for what meningitis does to a body, let alone a little seven-year-old girl,” Lisa Reece, Brogan’s mom’s cousin said.
Two years passed and Brogan adapted well her prosthetic leg. She met life’s challenges with enthusiasm and a fighting spirit.
There was never any guarantee that the infection was gone forever, though, and Brogan was ready to deal with life and all it threw at her.
Unfortunately, the family announced in early 2018 that Brogan will probably need to amputate her other leg.
Brogan was devastated when she found out — but now she just wants to get it done and start physical therapy.
As for Aimee, she wants to remind other parents to be on the lookout for odd changes to their children’s bodies so they can recognize the symptoms in time and not have to go through what Brogan went through.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of meningitis are headaches and neck stiffness associated with fever, confusion or altered states of consciousness, as well as vomiting and sensitivity to light or sounds.
Keep in mind that children usually also show symptoms such as irritation and drowsiness. Rashes can also be a sign of meningitis. For example, meningococcal meningitis can be accompanied by characteristic rashes and skin bleeding.
Aimee says she’s devastated by what has happened, but she’s hopeful that Brogan will quickly adapt to her new life.
We wish Brogan and her family good luck. Let’s give them all the likes we can and share Aimee’s warning so that no child gets the wrong diagnosis and ends up in this situation!
