New mom who had arms and legs amputated after C-section went wrong returns home weeks after horror birth
A Kansas mother who became a quadruple amputee after developing toxic shock during childbirth has finally returned home.
Brie Morgan Bauer, 35, contracted Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome and was placed in a coma after having an emergency C-section to deliver her third child Beau on February 17.
While the baby - born just 2lb 8oz - miraculously survived his mother was forced to have both her arms and legs amputated.
After months of treatment, Brie was finally discharged from the hospital and returned to her Overland Park home with her husband Reid and their children on June 25.
The neighborhood threw the beloved mother a homecoming parade with lots of fanfare including a large light structure that said: 'Welcome Home Brie.'
Brie Morgan Bauer, 35, was discharged from the hospital on June 25 after becoming a quadruple amputee after developing toxic shock during childbirth on February 17
Bauer got Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome and survived several emergency surgeries but the medication she was on had begun to impact all four of her limbs
'We pulled together resources and ideas to show her how excited we are for her to be back,' neighbor Julia Walker told KCTV.
'We had people designing the posters, the banners, print them. We have stuff going on at the pool. People are getting their face painted, balloons and stuff. Just so this can be a really joyous, fun, celebratory event for her.'
On the day she left The University of Kansas Health System hospital Brie shared a video of herself leaving the facility in her electric wheelchair as the medical staff cheered her on.
Now the mother of three is learning to adjust to her new life and shared the challenges she has been facing.
'A lot of people have been asking what it felt like coming home after being in the hospital for four months. Honestly, it felt a bit like returning from a long vacation,' Brie said in an Instagram post.
'Seeing my kids every day and sleeping in my own bed has been incredible, but there's still a lot of adjusting to do. Figuring out how to navigate the first floor independently has been quite the challenge.
She had an emergency C-section at just 27 weeks. Her baby Beau was born, but Brie lost a lot of blood in the operating room and her condition declined rapidly
Brie was still in a coma after her surgeries, but briefly woke up so her husband could tell her: 'Brie, it's Reid (left). The baby is safe, he's beautiful and looks like you.'
Brie said the hardest part about adjusting to her new life at home has been the inability to hold her newborn
'Simple tasks like opening drawers or the refrigerator are difficult. I've learned that I can't fit through the doorway into the pantry, which has been particularly frustrating since I've been eating like crazy (thanks, stress), and I hate having to ask people to grab food for me.
'Out of everything, the hardest part has been my inability to hold baby Beau. It's ironic how both Beau and I are hitting milestones at the same time—who will be able to turn over first? Whose hair will grow in first? We're both on a journey of recovery and growth together.'
Brie first went to hospital 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 just 2lb 8oz while Brie lost a lot of blood in the operating room.
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'.
The neighborhood threw the beloved mother a homecoming parade with lots of fanfare including a large light structure that said 'Welcome Home Brie'
She noted it's ironic both her and her son will be hitting milestones at the same time like turning over and growing hair
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.
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.'
Over the coming weeks, she 'battled infections, setbacks and endured amputations to all four limbs.
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.
