More than one month after her daughter Chelsea was air-lifted to BC Children91裸聊视频檚 Hospital for emergency surgery, Kara Kazimer still cannot find the words to express herself.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just been amazing how people have come together for us,91裸聊视频� Kazimer marvelled, referring to the dozens of hot meals, provided by many of the parents of Chelsea91裸聊视频檚 fellow members of Elite Rising Stars team at the Club, and gifts from her son91裸聊视频檚 soccer club, bestowed upon the family over the past month.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e never been in this kind of situation before 91裸聊视频� we91裸聊视频檝e been overwhelmed with all the support.91裸聊视频�

It started, she explained, with a stomach ache on Sept.17.

When it persisted two days later, Kazimer took her daughter to the emergency room where the nine-year-old Vernon girl remained for three days before being air-lifted to the in Vancouver and diagnosed with Hemolytic-uremic syndrome or HUS, a condition caused by what Interior Health later called 91裸聊视频渁 very rare strain91裸聊视频� of E-Coli that resulted in Chelsea91裸聊视频檚 kidneys shutting down.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淪he was put on dialysis so they had to do surgery and put a tube in her stomach,91裸聊视频� Kazimer explained. 91裸聊视频淚nitially she was on dialysis for 20 hours a day, but her body responded really fast, and they were able to take it down to half the day on and half the day off. And then she was taken off it completely.91裸聊视频�

In regard to how Chelsea came into contact with E.Coli, Kazimer said doctors have been unable to pinpoint a direct source, but that the team working on her daughter at BC Children91裸聊视频檚 Hospital told her it is fairly common for children to carry E.Coli and not know it.

91裸聊视频淪he could really have picked it up anywhere 91裸聊视频� she could have touched something that somebody else (who carried the bacteria) touched. She could have eaten a cookie and not washed her hands,91裸聊视频� Kazimer noted.91裸聊视频淭here was no restaurant or food we could pick out. We just know her system couldn91裸聊视频檛 battle it.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚 never could have imagined there was that much kindness and generosity out there.91裸聊视频� - Kara Kazimer

On Oct. 16, after roughly one month, Chelsea and her father Jason, who remained in Vancouver for the duration of her hospitalization, finally came home.

91裸聊视频淚t was quite a long haul, but everything seems to be going in the right direction now,91裸聊视频� Kazimer said, adding that while Jason had stayed with Chelsea, she had remained in Vernon to work and care for their son, Alex, who just started Grade 8, and travelled to the coast every weekend.

91裸聊视频淲e consider the experience overall to be a positive because of how lucky we are that Chelsea is getting better, and that people were so supportive. I never could have imagined there was that much kindness and generosity out there.91裸聊视频�

According to Camille Martens, Chelsea91裸聊视频檚 instructor at the gymnastics club and the organizer of the , taking care of each other is 91裸聊视频減retty normal.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just what we do,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e all know how it feels to go through a tough time, and we consider ourselves a family91裸聊视频攕o when someone in the family needs a hand, you just pitch in and help where you can.91裸聊视频�

Martens said the concept of a Meal Train91裸聊视频攁n interactive online calendar that helps friends coordinate the giving of food to help ease the burden (whether it be time or cost) of meal preparation, appealed to her because it91裸聊视频檚 a useful and simple way to make a difference in someone91裸聊视频檚 life when they91裸聊视频檙e faced with a challenge.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just been an amazing thing for us,91裸聊视频� Kazimer said of Martens91裸聊视频� effort.

91裸聊视频淲e didn91裸聊视频檛 even know very many people at the gym because we had only been there for a little while so it was amazing how the Rising Stars family came together for us.91裸聊视频�

And the hospitality didn91裸聊视频檛 stop there, Kazimer added.

91裸聊视频淢y son91裸聊视频檚 soccer team gave us a gift basket filled with gift cards for places like M & M Meats ,Home for Dinner, and Papa Nick91裸聊视频檚 (Global Cuisine) and my coworkers (at Okanagan College) purchased a tablet for Chelsea to use while she was in the hospital. And last week we were all invited to see the Whitecaps play in Vancouver. I still can91裸聊视频檛 believe it. We91裸聊视频檙e a soccer family and the Whitecaps are Chelsea91裸聊视频檚 favourite. 91裸聊视频�

As far as Chelsea91裸聊视频檚 health, Kazimer says her little girl is currently back at school, in much better health and in great spirits.

91裸聊视频淚t was a hard month for sure, but we have so many good memories that we will take from this,91裸聊视频� Kazimer said. 91裸聊视频淲hen we look back on this, we will remember more good than bad, and that91裸聊视频檚 because of the community we live in.91裸聊视频�

Erin Christie

Morning Star Staff

erin.christie@vernonmorningstar.com