Kristina Scott is back home with her parents after what her family calls nothing short of a miraculous recovery.
From being in a severe diabetic coma and near death several weeks ago, Kristina, daughter of Alex and Debbie Beatty, of Arthur, is now on the road to recovery. In a recent telephone interview, her father said that on Aug. 27, Kristina, was living in Marmora, with her two children, when she passed out in her home after work. Nearly 36 hours passed before she was discovered by an acquaintance who stopped by.
Her two children were in the home during that time – but Beatty said both children appear unharmed by the experience. The paramedics were called and Kristina taken to Campbellford General Hospital, he said. At that time, her blood sugar level was recorded at 127. Normal blood sugars range from 4 to 7.
Beatty said that six hours later, his daughter was taken to Peterborough General and about 12 hours later at Toronto General Hospital where she remained in a coma.
On Sept. 4, Beatty said he, his wife, and one daughter, Diana Faris, were told that Kristina had a 90% chance of never having another intelligent thought or be able to communicate. Further, they heard Kristina would need to be moved to another institution to be able to maintain life support.
And, Beatty said, “We were told that in a month, we would need to decided when to pull the plug.”
That was about 1:30pm that afternoon, he said.
“Our family had gathered at our home in Arthur and as we’d done for a long time, gathered for prayer. We asked for God to restore her.”
At 5:30pm, about 20 minutes after the family completed its prayers, the phone rang.
The same doctor had called again from Toronto.
“She said there had been a dramatic improvement in Kristina’s condition.”
When Beatty asked how dramatic, the doctor replied, “She just woke up.”
“It was an amazing experience,” Beatty said.
Most of the family was still home at the time, and there was a lot of shouting and screaming for joy, he said. “I was crying.”
When he apologized to the doctor for the noise and his crying, the doctor said she was crying as well.
Beatty said Kristina stayed in the hospital for a few more weeks and on Sept. 18, “She came home to Arthur.”
It was an emotional time, reuniting with her children who had been with the Beattys since this happened.
While Kristina is still undergoing dialysis treatments three times per week, the prognosis seems good.
Beatty said the doctors believe it will be a relatively short recovery – even though very few have recovered from blood sugar levels that high. Her heart condition is also being considered as miraculous as well, Beatty said.
“We continue to pray for her complete recovery from diabetes,” he said.
To help Kristina move forward, he said friends and family have started a trust fund at the Royal Bank in Arthur.
He said cheques can be made “in trust to Kristina Scott” to the bank, or mailed to John Beer, 7439 Highway 6, Arthur, Ontario, N0G 1A0.
Being a single mother, the trust fund is intended to assist with living expenses and ongoing medical costs.
He added that Kristina is planning to remain in Arthur,
Beatty said, “The family is very grateful and thankful to God for returning our daughter to us.”
Though Kristina has had diabetes since the age of 2, he said no incident of this magnitude had happened before.
Beatty said the doctors had never seen this type of recovery from such a high blood sugar level. (Blood sugars for people without diabetes can jump after a meal perhaps reaching double digits, but generally they return quickly to normal. For those with diabetes, typically, comas often happen in the 40 to 50 range, he said. But he said. there’s no way to determine what triggered the levels, or the coma.
Beatty said the experience was much more emotional for the family than for Kristina who was unaware of the rollercoaster ride.
“But she recognizes how God works in her life and is a very grateful person.”
In speaking with her, she described the events “as pretty surreal. Everyone else saw the emotional side; I slept through it.”
She added that her sister came in asking if Kristina recognized her. Except for being in the hospital room, it only seemed as if she’d been asleep.
“Of course I knew her.”
It was only later she heard the full story.
“I’m still trying to grasp it.
Kristina expressed her gratitude at being able to be with her children again.
“I feel fortunate that I’m able to talk about it, and blessed that I’m able to be here to feed my daughter.”
Beatty later added there will also be a praise and worship evening at Bethel Baptist Church, 675 Victoria Terrace, in Fergus on Oct. 18, at 7pm, for anyone wishing to come and join in praise and thanksgiving to God for this miracle in their lives.
