This is Julie Barr and she is RESILIENT.
Describe the situation where you had to be resilient.
I found out I was going to lose my left leg below the knee and possibly my right leg, as well.
CONTENT WARNING: The I Am Resilient Project provides an open space for people to share their personal experiences. Some content in this post and on this website will include topics that you may find difficult.
Julie’s Story.
I was in the High Acuity part of ICU recovering from Group A Strep/Necrotizing Fasciitis. When I first got sick on November 16th, with flu-like symptoms, within 18 hours, I was in cardiac arrest at the ER.
My heart stopped for eight minutes, and they performed CPR on me for 11 minutes.
I was put on a ventilator and induced into a coma for two weeks. I had less than a 1% chance of living through the night. When I woke up, my hands and feet were black. We were waiting to see if they would improve, but on December 20th, 2012, my left leg was amputated below the knee, 34 days after becoming sick and being admitted into the hospital.
I was playing roller derby at the time, and when I was told I would lose my leg, I looked over at my dad and said I’m never going to play derby again, and we cried. I also said we couldn’t tell mom because it would devastate her. But the next morning, she asked how I was coping. My dad did tell her. I told her I was ok, and I wasn’t going to lose my leg. I was going to think positively enough to get better. It didn’t work. My leg was amputated; however, I only lost my toes on my right foot and left fingertips.
How did you practice resilience when faced with this challenge?
I tried to see the positives in the situation and to stay positive for my family and friends who came to visit. No one wants to visit someone who is down and depressed. So, I looked for the silver linings and made many jokes.
Please share one piece of advice for people who are going through a similar challenge.
Life doesn’t end when you become an amputee; it just becomes your new normal. I’m back doing everything I did before, like running 5k races and hiking.
???? Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
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