Texas teen loses three of her limbs after flu complications
· Toronto Sun
What appeared to be symptoms of a common flu have cost a Texas teen three of her limbs due to life-altering complications.
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Kaydin Ruiz, 13, fell ill with what were considered typical flu-like symptoms — fever, chill and body aches.
However, her condition worsened within days, her mother, Amanda Valdez, said, as reported by KREM 2 News .
According to Valdez, Ruiz visited the hospital for treatment and was sent home from the ER with instructions to hydrate. However, she soon returned after the teen had turned blue and had difficulty breathing.
Doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital in San Antonio said Ruiz had developed a serious secondary infection, strep pneumonia, a gram-positive bacterium that can cause mild to life-threatening infections. The infection led to septic shock and multiple organ failure.
Her heart function dropped significantly and had even stopped at one point.
“Never in a million years did I think that a flu B would lead to something like this,” Valdez said, per KREM 2 News .
Amputation saved her life
Doctors at the hospital said the flu on its own can be dangerous, but it can become severe when combined with infections like strep pneumonia.
Experts stated toxins from the infection led to blood clotting in the wrong areas.
In order to save Ruiz’s life, doctors had to amputate both her legs and one arm, WTSP reported .
“How do you tell your kid that, for one, now she’s covered in scars, and her whole life has changed,” her mother said.
Valdez said she is sharing her daughter’s story in hopes of raising awareness of the severe risk of seemingly mild illnesses and the potentially devastating outcomes.
Doctors say the best way to reduce the risk of illness is vaccination.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Ruiz’s family with medical expenses. So far, it has raised more than US$31,000.