Kali Hardig, who is twelve years old and recovering from a brain eating amoeba that has caused rare infections in her brain, has gone back in the water from a swim for the first time since July, according the her rehab doctor.
The twelve year old had been in a grave condition in July after being diagnosed with Primary Amoebiatic Meningoencephalitis, a deadly incarnation of meningitis caused by the parasite Naegleria Fowleri. She had first shown signs of recovery in August, saying her first few words and taking her first tentative steps all over again.
Kali had contracted the amoeba from a Willow Springs Water Park lake, over at Little Rock Arkansas. The Arkansas Department of Health has since worked to close down the 85 year old park, which had apparently been linked with an infestation of the Naegleria parasite as early as 2010.
Kali Hardig's mother had noticed that her daughter had developed a deep fear of water, justifiable traumatic behaviour after acquiring the amoeba that had caused much of her debilitation. She then took steps to have her daughter feel safe and comfortable in the water once again.
Kali was taken to the pool Friday, September 6, spending hours in the pool with her mother and three of her therapists.
Such developments in her recovery would ensure that she could be released from the hospital as early as October.
However, the pre-teen will have a long way to go: despite the infection having been completely gone from her system, its after effects still have to be dealt with. She has developed speech and memory problems, and would need to accustom herself to walking without braces.
Kali is not the first case to survive the deadly brain-eating parasite straight out of a horror scifi novel. two others were known to have survived the disease as well, with a facebook post from a page put up solely for her recovery stating: "We want Kali to be #3!"
Read this related article to see how it feels to be one of the victims of this brain-eating parasite.
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