Brie Morgan Bauer Kansas City mom rebuilds life after Toxic shock syndrome during emergency C-section child birth as she is forced to lose all 4 limbs as she gives miracle birth to 2lb 8oz child.
A Kansas City mother had to have both her arms and legs amputated after developing toxic shock during child birth earlier this year.
Brie Morgan Bauer, 35, was rushed to hospital on February 17 for an emergency C-section at just 27 weeks.
Her third child, Beau, was born weighing 2lb 8oz – but while doctors stabilized the baby and transported him to the NICU, Brie’s state began to deteriorate.
What is Toxic Shock Syndrome and Can You Get it?
She developed Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome and was placed in a coma according to the Kansas City Star.
Notes the Mayo Clinic: ‘Toxic shock syndrome is a rare, life-threatening complication of certain types of bacterial infections. Often toxic shock syndrome results from toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria, but the condition may also be caused by toxins produced by group A streptococcus (strep) bacteria.
Toxic shock syndrome can affect anyone, including men, children and postmenopausal women. Risk factors for toxic shock syndrome include skin wounds, surgery, and the use of tampons and other devices, such as menstrual cups, contraceptive sponges or diaphragms.’
Over the next few weeks, Bauer required countless surgeries and eventually had to have all four of her limbs amputated.
Brie first went to hospital on February 17 after experiencing ‘several days of feeling flu-like—body aches and general discomfort’.
Doctors determined she was in labor, and her baby was in danger, so they sent her for an emergency C-section at just 27 weeks.
Beau was born, but Brie lost a lot of blood in the operating room and her condition declined rapidly.
Infection leads to chain reaction across body
A GoFundMe set up to support the family reads: ‘The medical team struggled to get oxygen to her fluid-filled lungs and to stop her bleeding. Brie began to suffer from organ failure.’
Doctors placed her into a medically-induced coma and told her family she was ‘unlikely to make it through the night’.
But Brie held on and the next day lab results revealed she had developed Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome.
The infection was concentrated in her uterus and required her to have an emergency hysterectomy according to the dailymail.
In the surgery, doctors discovered part of her colon had died and she had to have another major surgery – her third in under 72 hours – to fit an ostomy.
She survived the procedures, but the medication she was on had begun to impact all four of her limbs.
The GoFundMe says: ‘Her hands and feet were turning black from lack of blood flow—amputation discussions were inevitable.’
Brie was still in a coma, only briefly waking so her husband could tell her: ‘Brie, it’s Reid. The baby is safe, he’s beautiful and looks like you.’
Triumph to rebuild life
Over the coming weeks, she ‘battled infections, setbacks and endured amputations to all four limbs.
‘Her right arm, just above the elbow. Her left arm, just below the elbow. Her right leg, which is at hip-level. And her left leg, just above the knee.’
In mid-May, Beau was released from the hospital with no complications and Brie was transferred to rehab where she is learning to adjust post amputations.
The family have shared their journey on social media, building a following of 369,000 on Instagram.
Their latest post, from Sunday, shows Brie outside of the hospital, navigating in her motorized wheelchair.
The caption reads: ‘What a difference a week and a half makes!
‘Couldn’t be more proud of our girl for crushing rehab. Thank you to the OT and PT teams for helping her break down barriers.’
Beau is being cared for by his father, Reid, with help from his grandparents.
The family said: ‘We’re grateful to have a tight-knit family that works together to keep everything moving.’
As of Tuesday afternoon, their GoFundMe has raised over $354,000.
They say the money will be used ‘to help offset medical costs, prosthetics, home renovation and other needs.’
They added: ‘Meanwhile, Beau is busy doing regular baby things. He’s been home for a couple of weeks now, but still gets to visit Brie in rehab often.’
