A mum told of the terrifying moment she thought her daughter was going to die after she turned "completely purple."
Abbi Shearer, 28, had nipped out to the pharmacy to get some medication for her daughter Evie-Kate, eight, when she returned home to find her struggling to breathe.
In the hours that followed, Abbi said her "world fell apart" as she was told by doctors at Alder Hey Children's Hospital that her daughter had contracted sepsis and she likely wouldn't survive the night.
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But despite all of the odds that were stacked against her, Evie-Kate continued fighting for her life and after 10 months in hospital she finally returned home last week with her family.
The eight-year-old suffers from a rare genetic condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 1, which causes muscle weakness and respiratory failure.
Abbi, who is originally from Anfield and currently living in Litherland, told the ECHO: "It's a terminal condition so there's no cure and there's nothing to slow it down or help. It's a progressive condition.
"She's paralysed from the neck down and her diaphragm, which is the main breathing muscle, is paralysed so she can't breathe for herself so she can never come off a ventilator, she needs it to survive."
Evie-Kate has a central line called a Broviac fitted in her chest which is used to help administer medication and give fluids.
Abbi said: "On the 25th March, the nurse came out to flush [the Broviac line] as usual.
"Evie had only been home from hospital for five days previous with a UTI. She was absolutely fine, it was treated with antibiotics and she came home.
"I had to go out to the pharmacy to pick up some medication. I had two members of staff and my partner with her."
When Abbi arrived home around 45 minutes later, she was approached by one of Evie-Kate's carers who told her her oxygen saturation levels were low.
Abbi said: "When I went into Evie-Kate's bedroom I just knew by looking at her she was dying. I knew it was something drastic because she was completely purple and blue.
"Straight away I ran in and took her off the ventilator and started doing her breathing for her on a special bag.
"I called an ambulance. At this point, Evie's eyes were open and I was talking to her while telling the staff what to do next. I asked them to get more emergency equipment and more oxygen.
"I knew her oxygen levels were really low at this point, I knew she could go into a cardiac arrest.
"The next minute her eyes just rolled and she went into a full cardiac arrest. I had to start resuscitating her. I resuscitated her and the paramedics turned up."
Evie-Kate was rushed to Alder Hey and suffered from another cardiac arrest in the back of the ambulance.
At Alder Hey, doctors told Abbi her daughter had contracted sepsis and she was also suffering from septic shock and organ failure.
Sepsis is a life threatening condition which occurs when the immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight an infection.
Abbi said: "[The doctor] said to me 'I think you need to get your family in because she will not survive the night'.
"At that point it was like the world had fell apart to me. I was screaming, I was crying. My mum was with me, she was the same, we couldn't get our heads around it."
Despite everything she was going through, Abbi said Evie-Kate was still smiling and laughing at this point and was wide awake.
Abbi said: "We knew that the infection had come through the Broviac line that was in her chest, and they told me the only way to save her life was to take her to theatre and get it out so I agreed to it.
"They said that there's a possibility she might not survive in theatre, so I had to sign a form but I had to take that risk at the same time because I knew if it was left in she would die anyway."
Due to complications which had caused the Broviac line to become embedded into Evie's neck, doctors were unable to remove it during surgery.
By this time, Abbi said her condition had gone from bad to worse and a team of doctors sat down with her to discuss what to do next.
Abbi said: "They sat me down and they just said 'this is the end of Evie-Kate's life now'.
"They were asking me for a DNR [do-not-resuscitate order] and I just refused point blank.
"I said 'no she needs time' because Evie's been in a lot of life-threatening incidents and she always bounces back and again something in my chest was telling me just give her time.
"The doctors were looking at it from a medical point; she's in organ failure, her body had swelled, she's got three major life-threatening infections going on, she's got this line stuck, she could just literally pass away at any moment and I just refused."
Over the next few days, doctors continued to monitor the eight-year-old's bloods and they gradually started to come down to a more stable level.
As the medication she was receiving started to be reduced, she was moved from intensive care to a high dependency unit.
Abbi said: "When we were leaving ICU I was too scared to get excited because I knew she was still not out the woods I knew it could change at any moment.
"I was just holding onto hope and it was nice to be back on the ward that I know around the staff who I know and who know me, and who have looked after us for many many years."
A week before her eighth birthday, Evie-Kate was moved onto a hospital ward and started her long journey to recovery.
She has spent the last 10 months in hospital, where mum Abbi and hospital staff have organised everything from wheelchair accessible bike rides to birthday parties and trick-or-treating around the ward.
A leaving party was held at Alder Hey for Evie-Kate on Tuesday, January 11, as staff gathered around and clapped as she made her journey off the ward to go home.
Abbi said: "They put the Queen's song on because of course she's a diva, she needed it going out and she got clapped out for the very last time and it was just amazing.
"I feel like we've just been given a new lease of life. I feel like the luckiest parent in the world to still be able to go downstairs to her every morning, kiss her face and plan our crazy day and where we're going and what we're doing.
"Most of the staff at Alder Hey are like family to me - they are just absolutely amazing.
"I can't thank them enough for not only saving Evie's life but listening and having the trust in me to hold on that bit longer when I asked for it."
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