Part 1: Starting off..... by Heidi LaMeyer

I want to extend a sincere Thank You to those that choose to follow this blog. Swim Above Water appreciates the commitment of others to learn about and spread awareness to everyone you know about the dangers of Naegleria Fowleri and the infection it causes, called Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM).

My daughter, Hailee LaMeyer, died from this rare, but devastating disease just days after swimming in a Minnesota Lake. She was 11 years old at the time of her death, exactly one month away from her 12th birthday.

On Monday August 18, 2008, Hailee called me at work, begging and begging me to go swimming with her friend Kaitlyn. My first instinct (from I don't know where), was to tell her no. In fact, I did tell her no. She flung into a full out "whyyyyyyyy Mommmmmm!". Exasperated, I think I said something on the lines of "Because I said so". Well, that works about as well as a broken ladder....so I said to her "Hailee, it is too hot outside to go swimming". Now this made her even more unhinged. "WHAT? How is it TOO hot to go swimming? I AM HOT, that's why I want to go swimming!" She had a point. I then pulled out some language from my dearly departed Grandpa Andy and said, "Hailee, the lakes are ishy this time of the year because it has been so hot. It is Dog Days". She said... "Phuleezzzzzeeeeee Mommmmmm! Kaitlyn's Mom is going and she won't let us if it is icky". I relented and told her she could go. I heard a very accomplished "Yeay! Thanks Mom!" and off she went.

I didn't give it another thought. Hailee, Kaitlin and her siblings, my other two boys would swim at our beach area just one block from our home all the time. No big deal, I thought. Summer is almost over, I thought. Let them have fun. I am not home to take them anywhere, so she might as well go. Man I hated being a working Mom that day and in the days that followed.

The next two days went by without incident. Wednesday August 20th, I came home from work at around dinner time and Hailee was napping. Not totally unusual for an 11 year old. I thought nothing of it. Later, I asked her to come out for dinner and she said she wasn't hungry was just super tired and didn't feel very well. Not alarmed, I believe I brought her some tylenol and something to drink. She stayed in bed the remainder of that night. The next morning, she seemed about the same, but of course I had to go to work. Midday, my husband Chad called me and said he had just talked to Hailee. She was running a fever and said her arms and shoulders hurt. Chad and I agreed, I would leave work and take her in. I took her to urgent care, where she was diagnosed with an early case of pneumonia. She was given prescriptions for two different antiobiotics and we were sent on our way. At home that night, she barely ate. She felt pretty poor. We got the antibiotics and tylenol/ ibuprofen in and she had some popcicle's etc.

4AM on Friday morning I awoke to Hailee crying. I ran to her room and she looked so flushed and ill. She took one look at me and said her head hurt and vomited all over the bed. I ran for the thermometer. 104.6. I quickly got some tylenol into her and brought her into the bathtub to clean her up and also try and cool her down. She continued to feel so ill. We decided we were going back to the Emergency Room. I called my work, told them I wouldn't be in. Something in my heart when Chad asked me if he should go with us told me yes. So he did.

We spent about 5-6 hours in the ER. More tests were ran, nothing conclusive, except dehydration. They started an IV and said if she did not improve, they would need to do a spinal tap. But, she did improve! She perked up and ate some crackers and some popcicle. Her fever was doing better. We did notice though that the lights in the room were really bothering her and at one point she had a significant rash show up on her face, chest and belly that went away as quickly as it came. The doctor was not concerned. They discharged us to home. My stomach still wasn't right. Something seemed still wrong, but I was glad to bring her home!

We got home and I tried to get her to eat a small piece of grilled cheese. That did not go well. She was so tired she just wanted to sleep. So I took her in bed with me and we both nodded off. Within 1 hour, she suddenly woke up, vomited and spiked a temp again. Chad came and took her, cleaned her up and brought her into her room while I called the hospital. They told me to bring her right back in. I went to get her and Chad and he was holding her in his arms. He told me that something was very wrong because her words were not making sense and she could not walk. He was right. Neurologically, she was very altered. It was the scariest thing I have ever seen. We raced her to the hospital, about 7 minutes away. While in the car, she was rambling on, making no sense at all. I was terrified. At one point, I kind of grabbed her shoulders to snap her out of it and asked her if she was okay. She stopped, looked me square in the eye (which she also had not been able to do) and said "Yeah Mom, I'm okay. When God and Jesus are right there, you know you are okay". My heart sunk. That was the exact moment I knew my baby was going to die.

Okay...... I need a small break as I can feel that same old anxiety coming in. I will finish this story soon, but for now need to sit back and reflect and chill out. Be back soon.

Heidi LaMeyer