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3| The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,M arch 29,2018 theifp.ca what's happening because everything's happening so quick." Group A strep is a form of bacteria that can cause milder infections like strep throat, but in some cases can advance to a form of flesh-eating dis- ease where amputations are necessary and, in some cases, fatal. Osadcow's battle with Group A strep started with feverlike aches. "I broke out in a fever," she said, explaining that she was in pain, and her abdomen was swelling to the point where her stom- ach looked larger than it was when she was preg- nant. Her midwife noticed that she wasn't able to walk properly, and Osad- cow went to the George- town hospital. Doctors did an ultra- sound to try to find out what was wrong, at first, it appeared that it may be her appendix. Doctors al- so did a CT scan. Osadcow remembers being extraordinarily thirsty, begging staff for water. "I was completely dry, like Sahara Desert," she said. "I wanted to drink the ocean." The next morning, doc- tors informed her that she had a septic infection, from Group A strep, and she needed a hysterecto- my to stop the spread. "I just started bawl- ing," said Osadcow. Doctors wanted to treat the infection with antibi- otics, but with the aggres- sive and unpredictable nature of Group A strep, Osadcow says doctors were left with no choice but to act quickly. After a 24-hour treatment of anti- biotics, the infection had spread from her uterus to her cervix and Fallopian tubes and she was getting blood clots in her lungs. "I didn't want to Google anything, I didn't want to know what Group A strep was because I didn't want to know," she said. "You have to be happy and high hopes." While in isolation at the Georgetown hospital, Osadcow says she shared the room with one other woman who contracted Group B Strep. That wom- an, Osadcow says, lost her baby as a result of the in- fection. "I was crying for her," said Osadcow. Halton Health says that they have not received any reports of Group B Strep. "We have had no cases of Group B Strep in in- fants or children at Georgetown Hospital in the past five months," said Emma Murphy, of Halton Healthcare. Osadcow says that was transferred to Brampton for the procedure. "All the hospitals in To- ronto, they basically de- clined me when they found out it was strep," she said, explaining that doctors gave her a choice of Milton or Oakville. She requested Brampton be- cause her midwife was there. This was during Christmas. Her husband was at home caring for their two sons while his wife was in the hospital. "That's just what kept me going, knowing that my kids were at home," she said. On Christmas Eve, in- stead of having their tra- ditional Polish dinner with family, the pair shared chocolate milk and cafeteria food from inside Osadcow's hospital room. "It was the hardest four weeks of my life," said Lu- kasz Luty, Osadcow's hus- band. He and the children had to go on antibiotics as a preventive measure and were to stay isolated. "Thank god we had help from family and friends around us," she said. Now, as she recovers, Osadcow looks back on the past three months with shock. "Finally, the last two weeks I'm feeling like my- self again," she said. "I can't believe this hap- pened to me." NEWS l Continued from page 1 Group A strep is a form of flesh-eating disease FRI APR 6 JOHN ELLIOTT THEATRE 9 Church Street, Halton Hills 905-877-3700 HaltonHills.ca/Theatre $39 All Inclusive!8PM CALLING ALL CCR FANS! CREEDENCE JOHN FOGERTY "THE ULTIMATE CCR TRIBUTE!" Sat. April 7 North America's #1 Tribute to BON JOVI, "KEEP THE FAITH" Sat. April 14 Warner Recording Artists, TEENAGE HEAD Special guests, Little Joe & the Werewolves. ** with Josh and Joe Pinto Fri. May 4 North America's #1 Tribute to LED ZEPPELIN Michael White & THEWHITE A dinner theAtre with A Pulse FORMORE SHOWS CHECK www.spot1live.ca 289 Rutherford Rd. S. Brampton For tickets call 905-456-0422 press 2 Spring is back, and so is our 13th Annual Super Spring SpecialNOW ON! - Oil & Filter and complete top to bottom check over (Includes up to 5 litres regular oil. Synthetic oil is extra.) - Installation of summer tires (already on rims) included. - $5.00 Tim's Card - Windshield Washer Fluid eXTraS $4995Call for anAppointment+HST 45 Mountainview Road North, Georgetown, Ontario 905.877.7958 e-mail: hassellsauto@bellnet.ca • www.hassellautomotive.comSALES & SERVICE 4995 Only