Caroline Update: Four Months Later

Four months ago exactly, my 3 year old daughter Caroline was in the hospital fighting for her life.  I truly have never felt more helpless.  We almost lost her and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

What a life changing experience it has been.  She has fully recovered and as of last month is no longer on any medications.  She was taken off of her blood thinners after 3 months of treatment.  Many people ask me exactly what her diagnosis was and they seem to think that it was Lemmiere's Syndrome.  It is a rare disease that usually affects young adult males but is now being seen more often in toddler age children.  The disease begins with an infection of the throat or in Caroline's case and ear infection into which bacteria enters into the body.  The bacteria penetrate from the abscess into the neighboring jugular vein in the neck and there they cause an infected clot to form, from which bacteria are seeded throughout the body by the bloodstream. Pieces of the infected clot break off and travel to the lungs as emboli blocking branches of the pulmonary artery bringing deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. This causes shortness of breath, chest pain and severe pneumonia often times leading to sepsis a severe blood infection.  A person can go from perfectly healthy to their death bed in a few short days with Lemmieres, as is what happened with Caroline.  I feel the need to get the word out there about this syndrome.  Wolfson's Children's Hospital is conducting a special study on Caroline's case in hopes of finding out more about the disease and educating more physicians about it.  They could never 100% diagnose Caroline because they had given her so many antibiotics that none of the cultures they took ever grew.  Her symptoms met the Lemierre's Syndrome stats almost identically. That is the doctors best guess as to what happened to our girl.

Just the other night I sat down and read every post on the Caring Bridge web site and on the Facebook page, Prayers for Caroline.  Truthfully, it was a gut wrenching journey back to those dark days. I experienced the ups and the downs, the joy and sorrow all over again. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I had a pit in my stomach.

I am still completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and prayers for my sweet Caroline and our family.  Please know your kindness has forever changed my life. 

Complete strangers still run up to us in public and hug Caroline.  She asks them so innocently, "Did you pray for me?"  You better believe I have told her how many people prayed for her.  Her Caring Bridge page had over 14,000 visitors.  A mere glimpse into the power of Jesus Christ.  I still stand amazed at the stories of faith renewed and lives changed during this ordeal.  As my Mama always said, sometimes blessings come through raindrops.  Do I ever know it now.  I have printed out all the comments from her FB and Caring Bridge pages so that one day she can understand the power of prayer and how it saved her. And that she can know that God must have big plans for her life.  Only God could have taken such a terrible ordeal and used it for His glory and His purposes.  I have heard countless stories of this happening.

However, I woke up this Mother's Day thankful but relieved that I was not waking up to a Mother's Day without Caroline.  It could have very well been my reality.  I can't forget.  I now have a powerful testimony to share with the world.

Caroline Update: Our sweet girl was taken off antibiotics the beginning of March and blood thinners were discontinued the middle of April.  She has dealt with intermittent pain in her leg which the doctor said would go away in time.  Her muscles and joints went through quite and ordeal and when she is very active she experiences soreness.  I am happy to report she has not complained of any pain at all lately.  Our pediatrician said they were cautious that there may have been some cognitive impairment through this and that Caroline is showing no signs.  Praise God. 

Caroline is back to her sunny, happy go lucky, three year old self.  She is funny and active and loves nothing more than playing with her sisters.  She has not returned to any of her activities since her hospitalization.  We put school and ballet on hold until next year because of the blood thinner medication she was taking.  She is very bored without her activities and never ceases to let me know!  She is already registered for preschool next year and has informed me she wants to play soccer just like Anna and Brynn.

I am a Mama on my knees humbled by the outcome of this terrible situation, grateful for the friends and family that supported and lifted our heads.  I am strengthened in my faith and relationship with God.  He doesn't promise that we will not go through storms but he doesn't let us walk alone.  In fact He carries us. You carried us.  So thankful.

Four months later I am happy to report we are all well.  Knock on wood.  We are anticipating a summer full of frolicking at the pool, relaxing and beach trips with our families. We will be dancing at my sister's wedding in October. Caroline will be a flower girl yet again;)  God is good all the time. All the time God is good.

We sang Blessed be the Name of the Lord this morning in church.  I could hardly sing the verse,  He gives and takes away because that what was running through  my head during her entire hospitalization.  Not a day goes by that I don't think about our ordeal.