A 13-year-old Kerrville girl is in a San Antonio-area hospital facing a fight most adults would struggle to imagine, after a brutal case of influenza B spiraled into life-threatening complications and a triple amputation. Family members say Kaydin Ruiz was admitted in early February and has spent weeks in the pediatric intensive care unit as doctors worked to control infection and organ failure. Friends, neighbors and schoolmates have launched fundraisers to help with mounting medical bills while the family shares careful updates on her condition.
On Tuesday, surgeons removed both of Kaydin’s legs below the knee and her right arm above the elbow in a five-hour operation, marking the start of what will be a long and difficult recovery. According to MySA, the surgery followed an episode of influenza B that progressed earlier this month into pneumonia, septic shock and multi-organ failure. Kaydin’s mother, Amanda Valdez, has been posting frequent updates on social media as her daughter remains hospitalized.
The family launched a fundraiser in early February, and the accompanying GoFundMe page lays out the intense medical course Kaydin has endured so far: intubation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), dialysis and a brief cardiac arrest before doctors were able to resuscitate her. Per the GoFundMe, organizers say donors have been contributing toward a $40,000 goal meant to help cover ICU costs and related expenses so Kaydin’s parents can remain at her bedside…