We want families to ShareacinowithSkylar and know that Meningococcal ‘B’ Strain is a preventable disease. She loved everyone around her. Skylar’s smile, energy and Laugh would light up a room. We knew from a very early age she had a big future in front of her…. until
On the morning of Sunday October 15th, we woke up at Katherine Gorge as we had been away on a mini family holiday, the kids Skylar
33 months, her twin Sister 33 months and her brother 4.5 years were climbing up on the bunk beds and running a muck before breakfast. The kids ate their weeties at 9am and then we packed the car ready to head back home to Darwin. But before we left Katherine Gorge we decided to go do a 900 metre walk up too a look out over looking Katherine Gorge. The kids did a great job walking up to the lookout and we captured some great photos. We got back to the car at 10.30am and started our trip back to Darwin, all the kids fell asleep in the car on the way home. Skylar seemed restless in her car seat, but wasn’t complaining of being sore or in pain. I tried to put Skylars hair up as I thought her hair was annoying her but she eventually got comfortable. We stopped at Adelaide River for Luch at 12pm, Skylar didn’t eat anything and then we continued on home and arrived at 2.30pm. When we arrived home, Skylar still seemed tired so she laid down on the lounge and we put shrek on for her. While her other siblings enjoyed ice cream cake for their dogs birthday. At around 4.45pm Skylar spiked a temp of 39.1, we gave her Panadol, put her in a cool bath with a zooper dooper. When skylar got out of the bath at 5pm, we monitored her temperature and it had come down to 36.2, but then she vomited up all the Panadol and zooper dooper. Skylar rested on the lounge with her drink bottle and then at 6pm she had diarrhoea, we changed her nappy and then she started vomiting again, Skylar was able to lift herself up to spew in the bucket, she vomited (dry reached) about 9 times and then she stopped at 7pm. Her other siblings went to bed at 7pm and we left Skylar sleeping on the sofa bed out in the lounge so we could monitor her, at 7.50pm Skylar had diarrhoea, we changed her and then again at 8.15pm she had diarrhoea again a massive blow out and that’s when we noticed 3 bloody bruises that had just developed, (they were the size of a third of a finger nail) She had one on the left side of her groin and one on the left side of her bum and then this one on her neck. We were immediately alarmed.
8.30pm We took Skylar straight to RDH - Emergency Department, they took one look at her tiny bruise and rushed her straight through to the Resus Room. Her rash continued to get worse. They told us they were suspecting meningococcal, the Dr’s advised they will be putting her in an induced coma and putting her on a ventilator to help her breathe as she was so weak. The Dr’s explained the process to us, once she is on the ventilator they will take her to x-ray, then go do a CT scan and then she will go up too ICU. But things turned for the worst at around 10pm, Skylar wasn’t coping with the treatment, they lost her pulse but were able to find it, but then they lost it again at 11pm and at 11.30pm Skylar our 33 month old beautiful princess grew her angel wings. We would never of thought that this mini holiday was going to be our last as a family of 5…. What is this nightmare………… Meningococcal ‘B’ strain
