Charlotte shows she’s one tough little fighter

When Alanta Rogers and Max Perry’s normally active daughter Charlotte barely had enough energy to walk from her bedroom to the bathroom, they knew something was very wrong.

Charlotte Perry in Townsville University Hospital.

WHEN Alanta Rogers and Max Perry’s normally active daughter Charlotte barely had enough energy to walk from her bedroom to the bathroom, they knew something was very wrong.

“Charlotte came down with a bit of a cold so we went to the doctor who told us it was viral and there was nothing we could do except wait it out,” Alanta said.

After multiple doctor visits and a week-and-a-half with no improvement, an at-home nurse for Alanta’s nan checked Charlotte’s oxygen levels, and, seeing they were dangerously low, the little girl was rushed to Mackay Base Hospital.

“She was barely breathing and her heart rate was extremely high,” Max said.

“After one look doctors rushed her straight into the resus room where she was sedated and intubated.”

Alanta said an X-ray showed her right lung was full of puss from pneumonia, so they had to put in a chest drain. It was here things went from bad to worse, with a blood test showing strep A and septic shock.

Charlotte Perry now after her recovery.

“We were transferred to Townsville University Hospital when the septic shock went through her body,” Alanta said.

“Charlotte’s doctors weren’t happy with the results of her kidney and liver tests, and she wasn’t responding to the antibiotics she’d been given.

“At that point we were called in for a family meeting where we feared for the worst.”

After two tense weeks, Charlotte recovered from her infection and was sent home.

However, it wasn’t long before she found herself back in hospital. “We weren’t even out for 24 hours before we had to be transferred back to Townsville,” Alanta said.

“An echocardiogram showed Charlotte had pericardial effusion (fluid around the heart) so she was sent for surgery where they removed 350ml of fluid.”

Today, Charlotte has made an incredible recovery.

“A fighter doesn’t even begin to describe our little girl, she is braver than the both of us combined and we couldn’t be prouder,” Alanta said.

Originally published as Charlotte shows she’s one tough little fighter