A seven-year-old Arizona girl is fighting for her life and is now on a ventilator after three of her limbs had to be amputated to save her life.
Victoria Pasten-Morales suddenly became ill with symptoms of fever and aches, followed by vomiting. But her condition became serious and escalated within hours.
The second-grader was admitted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where she has been in intensive care for the past two weeks.
During that time, she underwent eight surgeries and now has a long road to recovery, along with the support of her parents and three siblings.
Doctors say Victoria has contracted the bacterial infection, group A streptococcus, that causes blood poisoning.
The youngster was admitted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where she underwent eight surgeries as she battled group A strep, losing three limbs in the process.
Victoria is supported by her loving family, including three siblings and her parents
Aside from the devastating loss of her limbs, the bacteria has now affected her kidneys and lungs, meaning she now needs a ventilator to breathe.
The little girl is still in intensive care, but is awake and able to communicate with doctors and her family. It is not known how the boy contracted the infection.
‘Everything happened very quickly. It happened very quickly. We don’t know where it came from, but it all happened in less than 12 hours,” mother Obdulia Morales said Fox 10.
“Her lips and hands began to turn blue,” Obdulia said. “Even the doctors can’t tell us how she got this bacteria.”
‘Unfortunately they had to amputate both feet and her right hand. Her left hand is still recovering,” father Victor Pasten added. ‘Diseases come unexpectedly. From morning to night, everything can change in a second.”
The family says their lives have been changed forever and have a GoFundMe to help cover medical costs.
Victoria Pasten-Morales, 7, is fighting for her life and on a ventilator after three limb amputations following a sudden bacterial infection
Victoria’s parents say their lives have been changed forever and have set up a GoFundMe to help cover medical costs.
Despite everything she’s been through, the second grader still offers kisses to her family from her hospital bed in the intensive care unit – a testament to her unwavering strength
The second grader is seen enjoying a snack at her school while dressed as Minnie Mouse
Despite the trauma, Victoria’s eyes still light up when her family enters her hospital room
‘It won’t be easy for her. It will be hard, but she is strong. She is a warrior,” said mother, Obdulia.
The family says that despite the trauma of the past two weeks, Victoria’s eyes still light up when her family enters the room and she can still blow kisses.
Sepsis is a medical emergency that health experts call a “silent killer.” It is caused by the body’s extreme response to an infection.
Sepsis occurs when chemicals released into the bloodstream cause the immune system to go haywire.
Instead of sending infection-fighting white blood cells to attack a foreign invader, it targets healthy tissues and organs.
Infections that lead to sepsis usually start in the lungs, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract, but almost any infection can lead to sepsis — even things as innocuous as paper cuts.
Bacterial infections are one of the most common causes of sepsis. Blood tests may show an increase in the number of white blood cells, which indicates that an infection is present
Necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, is a serious, rapidly spreading infection that kills one in five patients, according to the CDC. It is usually caused by group A streptococci.
Symptoms include a red or warm area of the skin that spreads quickly, severe pain, and fever. As necrotizing fasciitis spreads, it can cause sores or blisters on the skin, changes in skin color, pus or oozing, dizziness, fatigue, diarrhea, and nausea.
The CDC estimates that 700 to 1,150 cases occur in the U.S. each year.
Sepsis can be very similar to the flu, making it extremely difficult to catch early.
There is no single test for sepsis, but doctors look for signs of infections with measures such as blood tests.
Sepsis can develop into septic shock, which is characterized by a severe drop in blood pressure.
Signs of septic shock include inability to get up, extreme fatigue or inability to stay awake, and a major change in mental status, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The CDC recommends seeking immediate care if you show signs of sepsis. If left untreated, sepsis and septic shock are fatal.