Girl in mower accident doing well after surgery
Stef DiPietrantonio, FOX 13 News
TAMPA (FOX 13) -
The family of 2-year-old Ireland Nugent reports, after a lengthy surgery Monday morning, she is stable and her outlook is good.
They had to amputate both of her legs from the mid-calf on down.
"I cannot wait to just love her and hold her and tell her it's all going to be ok," said Nicole Nugent, Ireland's mother.
The Nugent family is overjoyed.
"I just want to hear her say, she loves me and hug her," said her father, Jerry Nugent.
They are so relieved Ireland came through surgery without any major complications, but she will be kept sedated until Tuesday morning.
"I know they keep telling me she can hear me, but I want to see her look back at me, when I can tell her that we're gonna get through this," said Nicole Nugent.
"We were bad and naughty and just sorta snuck and saw her quick, quick, but she's resting peacefully," said Dr. Dennis Reid, who is their family pastor and leader at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Clearwater.
Their entire congregation and so many others, have prayed for Ireland all weekend and at services Sunday. Their prayers were answered Monday in the operating room at Tampa General Hospital.
"I saw her face, it kind of felt like she was still her, still my baby and no matter what limbs she does or doesn't have, we're gonna have the same relationship and she's gonna be the same person that she would have always been anyway," said Nicole Nugent.
Her husband Jerry said he is still struggling with the tragedy, but each day she [Ireland] improves, helps heal a lot of it.
"I've got to work through, but when she opens her eyes and she sees me and she smiles and says she loves me and we hold each other, a lot of pain that's in my right now's gonna leave," said Jerry Nugent.
"When I met them, I just wanted to set their mind at ease, knowing they don't have to worry about their finances, anything."
Steve Chamberland with the charity 50-Legs, will be working with Ireland and the Nugents one-on-one, to help not only with the cost of getting her prosthetic feet, but with the cost of her ongoing therapy.
"Will actually extend the life of the prosthesis," said Bryan Sinnott, who is a Licensed Prosthetist and Orthotist at Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa. He said she will most likely start wearing a compression garment to reduce the swelling from her surgery.
Then a silicon sleeve will be made to her specific proportions. The newer prosthetic feet are made of carbon fibers, which act like internal springs and can mimic the action of a real-life foot.
"To actually push off and give them a return," said Sinnott demonstrating with a small, prosthetic foot. Their prosthetists are real artists, constantly re-casting the leg or foot, as the child grows. "Most children, you get them started and just watch them take off," he said smiling.
"This family is probably the nicest family you will ever meet," said Chamberlain. "Just keep reaching out to them please!"
The Nugents said they are blown away by all of the support from friends and family, even total strangers. Ireland is expected to be hospitalized at least six to eight week while her incisions heal. The family will be working with a child psychologist at TGH to help explain to Ireland, what happened.
"Before she was being sedated on the lawn at our house, she was asking, where her legs were, so she knew at that time she didn't have legs," said Nicole Nugent.
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Girl in mower accident doing well after surgery
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