North Augusta Today

When Wayne and Amy Marchant carried their 2-year-old daughter, Paris, across the threshold of their North Augusta home last month, the worst part of their near-nightmare was finally over.

Since February, the child has fought for her life at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, after a bout with influenza escalated into pneumonia, which caused her lungs to collapse. On June 23, Paris was well enough to go home.

"It's not going to be anything short term, but at least she'll be able to come home," Amy said by telephone from the hospital June 16.

On Feb. 16, Amy took her 9-year-old daughter, Keely, to the doctor with chicken pox. Paris, who had been running a fever of 104 degrees, and her twin sister, Mattie, were diagnosed with flu.

Paris' breathing became shallow, and by Feb. 18, it was obvious to Amy that she was in respiratory distress. Amy took her to the emergency room, where she was diagnosed with pneumonia.

Paris spent the night on a ventilator, but the next morning, she was unresponsive.

By the time she was flown to MUSC, her lungs were no longer functioning. For 32 days, her blood passed through an extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation machine, which acts as an external lung to oxygenate the blood.

"She's the longest lung patient they've ever had on ECMO (at MUSC)," Amy said. "Her lungs were so bad, she couldn't even be off for 30 seconds."

At Easter, with her right lung working at 70 percent capacity and the left not at all, Paris was well enough to be taken off the machine. Despite a crash a week later, she has been steadily improving. Her left lung has opened back up, though it's not yet operating at 100 percent.

The Marchants have had to make some adjustments to the family home to accommodate Paris. Hardwood floors were installed because of the risk of carpet fibers getting into her tracheotomy tube. Two rooms have been completed so far.

The dining room has been turned into Paris' bedroom to make room for machines that will accompany her.

"The equipment and supplies she'll need is phenomenal," Amy said.

She will need constant attention, and family outings will likely be minimal.

"To take her anywhere will be an act of Congress," her mother said.

Paris will have to be treated as an asthmatic child, careful not to overexert her lungs. Though she isn't a star athlete, she shouldn't be limited in other ways.

"She's going to be limited from this point on athletically," she said. "Neurologically, we haven't seen any effects."

Hospital bills have reached $2 million, creating more concerns for the family. Their insurance carrier, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, dropped Paris when her bills reached $1 million in April. Paris will have to be completely well and healthy for at least a year before private insurance will cover her.

Despite four months of scares and slow recovery, Amy said, she's thankful Paris is doing so well.

"It really is a blessing from God that she's probably going to have minimal problems," she said.

Reach Lisa Kaylor at lisa.kaylor@northaugustatoday.com.