Shannon Smith, a 29-year-old mother from Buffalo, NY, found herself facing death during her second pregnancy, when she was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia and told she needed an emergency C-section. During the procedure, she slipped into a coma that lasted three weeks. When she awoke, she discovered that not only had her premature baby passed away, but she’d contracted septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation, which led to blood clots, loss of circulation, and kidney and liver failure.
Worst of all, during the three weeks she spent in a coma, doctors were also forced to amputate significant portions of both of her arms and legs.
It’s the kind of story words alone can’t adequately convey, so here’s a video segment that further details Smith’s remarkable story.
The mother of a toddler son, Smith intends to use the muscle/nerve-activated prosthetics tavailable to her to return to as independent a quality of life as she can manage. A medical fund has been set up to help defray the extensive costs of Smith’s rehabilitation and recovery. To donate, visit the official website.