When Payton developed a sore throat, her parents chalked it up to the common cold and thought with some rest she would quickly recover. However, they started thinking something might be wrong when Payton refused even a popsicle to soothe her throat.
Payton’s dad, Mike, brought her to the clinic near Lethbridge where her mom, Andrea, works as a nurse. The second Andrea saw Payton she knew something was seriously wrong, and together her parents rushed her to a nearby hospital. There, Payton was immediately taken to the operating room and for a terrifying moment, she stopped breathing. Doctors knew Payton needed specialized care from the experts at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, so they called in the community-funded Pediatric Critical Care Transport team to get her there quickly and safely. The team was able to intubate Payton so she could breathe and loaded her and Andrea onto a fixed-wing airplane, while Mike quickly gathered the belongings they’d need and followed behind in the car to Calgary.
They would later learn Payton had Influenza and Invasive Group A streptococcal, which were attacking her epiglottis – a part of the throat – and compromising her airway. Andrea was terrified, as she knew just how serious the situation was, but she also knew Payton was in good hands. She says the knowledgeable and experienced transport team explained everything in real-time and she will never forget their faces – she credits them with saving her little girl’s life.
At the Alberta Children’s Hospital, doctors showed Andrea and Mike photos of just how swollen Payton’s epiglottis was and helped them understand what the treatment plan would look like. Even though Payton was sedated and intubated, Andrea said the staff talked to her like she was awake and aware, just like any other kid. Payton spent six days in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) intubated and sedated. After that she spent another two days awake and focused on recovery, including eating again.
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Andrea says once Payton was awake, their hospital team did little things to make her stay a little bit brighter, like bringing her movies to watch and books from the library. She even got a visit from one of the community-funded MEDi robots – which are designed to help put kids at ease. A Child Life Specialist brought the robot to Payton – something Andrea said she will never forget.
Today Payton has recovered from the terrifying experience and is a happy, healthy nine-year-old. Andrea says she credits the staff at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team for saving her little girl, something she calls a “miracle.”
