When Aimee Partridge discovered black and blue marks on her daughter Brogan’s legs while on her honeymoon, she assumed they were just bruises. Little did she know, these marks were actually a symptom of something far more serious – meningitis.
Brogan, who had been diagnosed with an eye infection and given antibiotics twelve days prior, was rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital after a visit to the GP. Doctors made the difficult decision to amputate her left foot in order to save her life.
Aimee recalls, “At the time, the marks didn’t resemble the typical rash associated with meningitis. I never thought it could be meningitis, and that’s the problem. When people are aware of the symptoms to look out for, they think of a rash, but it didn’t look like that to me.”
After being fitted with a prosthetic foot, the family thought they had overcome the worst. However, Brogan’s remaining leg continued to be plagued by constant pain caused by the infection. The family faced the difficult decision of whether or not to amputate the remaining leg as well. The main blood vessel in her leg had died, leaving her at risk for further complications.
In the end, Aimee and the medical professionals all agreed that amputation was the best course of action. Aimee explained, “Keeping the remaining leg posed risks for Brogan’s future. The infection had spread and weakened her leg. If we kept it, she could face more complications down the road.”
Despite the challenges she has faced, nine-year-old Brogan has shown incredible resilience. Aimee believes that children adapt quickly to difficult situations. While losing her remaining leg will be a significant change for Brogan, Aimee has faith in her daughter’s ability to adapt.
“It’s not going to be easy, but Brogan understands the process and just wants to move forward,” Aimee shared. “Losing her last bit of independence will be hard for her, but we believe this is the best solution. We had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but seeing the impact on her, we know it’s the right choice.”
This story serves as a powerful reminder to not ignore the warning signs of meningitis. Early detection and prompt medical attention can save lives.
