At just one-and-a-half weeks old, Arielle Elisabetta Hayes is beginning to discover life, at the same time the infant's mother is fighting for her own.
Katy Hayes was the picture of health after giving birth to her daughter, but that quickly faded in the days that followed.
"She was in a lot of pain after the birth. It was a home birth, no drugs, eight hours of labor, almost a ten pound baby. So a little bit of pain is to be expected, but the pain kept getting worse and worse," said Michele Dykstra.
Dykstra is a close family friend of Hayes; she stepped in to the role of caregiver for Arielle after Hayes went to the hospital. Doctors eventually discovered the new mom had a Strep A infection that had invaded her body with a vengeance.
"She had complete organ failure, they removed her bowels, her uterus, her ovaries, I believe some colon," said Dykstra.
Family, friends and a growing online community of supporters are pulling together to help the family. Hayes, a self-employed massage therapist, and her husband, Al, a freelance music teacher do not have medical insurance.
"She is absolutely a fighter and if anyone can do it Katy can. She has plenty to live for," said Dykstra.
The 41-year-old mother will have a long fight ahead of her. Meanwhile, there is an army of people who are doing what they can to help her win the battle.
"I think my job is to smile a lot to tell her that she is loved everyday, to tell her that she's beautiful, "said Dykstra. "As far as what I tell her about her mom, I tell her that her mom loves her."
Dykstra's job is to care for Arielle until her own mother can hold her again.
"We're definitely working on a happy ending."
A PayPal account has been established to help the Hayes family donations can be made to the katyhayesfund@yahoo.com. A 'Katy Hayes Fund' has also been setup at Chase Bank the account number is 871725040.
You can also click on the 'Pray for Katy Hayes' Facebook page link above.
Katy Hayes was the picture of health after giving birth to her daughter, but that quickly faded in the days that followed.
"She was in a lot of pain after the birth. It was a home birth, no drugs, eight hours of labor, almost a ten pound baby. So a little bit of pain is to be expected, but the pain kept getting worse and worse," said Michele Dykstra.
Dykstra is a close family friend of Hayes; she stepped in to the role of caregiver for Arielle after Hayes went to the hospital. Doctors eventually discovered the new mom had a Strep A infection that had invaded her body with a vengeance.
"She had complete organ failure, they removed her bowels, her uterus, her ovaries, I believe some colon," said Dykstra.
Family, friends and a growing online community of supporters are pulling together to help the family. Hayes, a self-employed massage therapist, and her husband, Al, a freelance music teacher do not have medical insurance.
"She is absolutely a fighter and if anyone can do it Katy can. She has plenty to live for," said Dykstra.
The 41-year-old mother will have a long fight ahead of her. Meanwhile, there is an army of people who are doing what they can to help her win the battle.
"I think my job is to smile a lot to tell her that she is loved everyday, to tell her that she's beautiful, "said Dykstra. "As far as what I tell her about her mom, I tell her that her mom loves her."
Dykstra's job is to care for Arielle until her own mother can hold her again.
"We're definitely working on a happy ending."
A PayPal account has been established to help the Hayes family donations can be made to the katyhayesfund@yahoo.com. A 'Katy Hayes Fund' has also been setup at Chase Bank the account number is 871725040.
You can also click on the 'Pray for Katy Hayes' Facebook page link above.
