Happy feet! Toddler takes first steps after losing her toes to meningitis Daily Mail Reporter
Young meningitis sufferer Molly Fisher has taken her first steps since having her toes amputated - thanks to her special 'magic shoes'. The toddler lost all the toes on her right foot and the tips of the ones on her left when she was struck down with the disease last year. The surgery left brave Molly, who celebrates her second birthday next month, unable to balance or take her first unsupported steps. [image: molly fisher] A toddler from Cumbria has taken her first steps after her toes were amputated due to meningitis Doctors organised for Molly to be fitted for her 'magic shoes' - specially designed bespoke boots which have built in features to compensate for her lost toes. These pink boots have a stiff sole to help her push off from a standing start, along with a tailored sole to encourage her foot to move forward, mimicking the movement of a fully functioning foot. Her grandmother Winifred said: 'The boots are amazing. We call them Molly's little magic shoes. 'Without them Molly struggles to take a few steps but when they're on she whizzes around everywhere. There's no stopping her.' Molly was left fighting for her life in June last year when she developed meningococcal septicaemia. She had been rushed to West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven - a few miles from the home she shares with her grandparents in Workington. Doctors knew immediately that Molly was in a grave condition and suffering from the deadly blood poisoning form of meningitis. They worked for over an hour to stablise the tiny tot before transferring her to Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary. It was feared she may not survive her first 48 hours in hospital. Even though she was yet to take her first steps doctors thought they may have to amputate both legs above the knee. However, Molly made such a quick and remarkable fightback doctors only had to amputate her toes and after six agonising weeks in hospital she was allowed home. [image: Molly Fisher] Molly Fisher, aged 22 months, with her grandmother Winifred. Molly uses special boots to walk around Winifred added: 'On the day she was ill she seemed fine in the morning, but later that evening I just had a feeling something wasn't right. 'She had been running a fever all day and she just didn't look right. 'She didn't have any spots on her skin but when I called the doctor to the house he asked me to remove her shirt. 'That's when she came out in hundreds of blood blisters all over her chest - right before my eyes. 'The doctor called an ambulance straightaway and within minutes we were rushed to hospital. 'When they first let us see her she just had tubes coming out of her everywhere and she was hooked up to all these machines. 'They told us that if she made it through the first 48 hours she would be all right, but at that time they thought they would still have to amputate both her legs. 'First they said she would have to lose both legs above the knee, then below the knee, then just her feet and finally just her toes. Her recovery was so amazing the nurses started calling her 'the miracle baby'. 'We were so relieved that she didn't have to lose her legs, but all we really cared about was that she was still alive. 'She didn't really understand what was going on and we just told her that she would still have beautiful feet. 'The boots have been life changing for her. Before she started wearing them she just couldn't walk. 'But with them she's amazing. We are so proud of her and when she took her first steps there were tears in all of our eyes. 'The doctors have said that she will be able to live a totally normal life and eventually it is hoped she will adapt to not having any toes and won't need the boots at all. 'She loves to play and run around in the garden, going on the slides and playing on the bikes. 'When I look at her I just think how happy I am that she is still here with us, I don't know what we would have done without her.' Toby Carlsson, prosthetist and orthotist and director of PACE Rehabilitation Ltd, explained how Molly's boots help her to walk normally. He said: 'When you walk the last thing to make contact with the ground to push you off is your big toe, which generates the power in your stride. 'Boots like Molly's often have an extra stiff sole to compensate for the lack of a big toe and many also have a bespoke base to encourage the foot to roll forward, as the part of the foot that carries out that movement is missing.' Peter Honeycomb, chairman of the British Associaton of Prosthetists and Orthotists added: 'Sometimes the smallest and simplest things can change people's whole lives, like getting them back to work or, like in the case of Molly, helping them to do what normal children do.' *-- ~~~Whatever mountains stands in your path, Whatever obstacle blocks your way, Whatever difficulty immobilized you, The prayer full of faith can remove it~~~. ~~~Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.~~~ ~~~fairlady.sha...@gmail.com~~* *~ ~~~fairlady.sha...@yahoo.com~~**~ * *fairlady.sha...@gmail.com*
