For 51-year-old mother of three Mandy McCracken, the 2020 crisis became a personal turning point. It began when she thought she was just fighting a mild gastro virus. Mandy fought off flu-like symptoms for three days. As soon as she began to have these troubling symptoms, she jumped and called 911. Since then, she’s never forgotten that moment when she threw up. It appeared like “little black coffee granules,” which was a visual indicator that her health had deteriorated significantly.
Upon her admission to the hospital, Mandy slipped into an induced coma for ten days due to complications from sepsis. During this harrowing period, her husband Rod received devastating news: he should bring their three young daughters to the hospital to say their goodbyes. Her family endured the unthinkable prospect of losing their beloved wife and mother.
As Mandy’s condition progressed it became critical for her to have both her hands and lower legs amputated. Even with the seriousness of her condition, she radiated an amazing energy and resolve to get well. Despite spending about 10 months in the hospital, she came out of it all with an entirely different outlook on life.
As she recovered, Mandy turned to mental health professionals for support. Above all, they saved her and her family’s emotional health throughout this tumultuous period. A nurse took her out in the courtyard for some fresh air. That day was her turning point after a month in the intensive care unit (ICU). She filled her mind with the sun, brimming with warmth, and breathed deeply of the crisp clean air. This electrifying moment fueled her resolve to believe she could fight for her life.
“This is going to be my strong point,” – Mandy McCracken
Mandy’s journey was fraught with emotional turmoil. She was always struggling with hopelessness and uncertainty about her future. At times, she was scared for her life and what might happen to her kids because of it.
“At one point in time, I thought, ‘we are in trouble here … I’m going to die with my kids’,” – Mandy McCracken
Mandy had a lot of physical hurdles to overcome. Then, despite adapting to life in a wheelchair and managing her distressed bandaged amputated legs, she still somehow managed to maintain her focus on recovery. Her three daughters visited her frequently during her hospital stay, providing motivation and support that fueled her determination to overcome adversity.
In one poignant moment captured in a photo, Mandy and her family posed together while she lay in a hospital bed, showcasing their unbreakable bond during this trying time. To them, the image was a re-interpretation of their strength and resilience.
As she moved through her rehab, Mandy adopted a different mindset. And she grew more sensitive to the value of every moment. One of the most poignant moments from our time at the hospital came while observing a rescued bird use touch screens to reexitimize their world. She wrote that this moment allowed her to deeply experience both the fragility and beauty of life.
“I watched this bird bump around and I thought … ‘life is just so precious’,” – Mandy McCracken
Even after she was discharged from the hospital, the realities of life as an amputee would complicate even basic day-to-day activities for Mandy. Her family took one more memorable photograph — the powerful reunion in their backyard. To make their booth complete, they brought along their happy golden Lab to draw in visitors. Though extraordinary in its own right, this image represented a huge step toward normalcy for them.
Mandy’s determination did not stop there. She made the decision to stop merely existing in her new circumstances. She wanted to flourish. She wanted to be tougher and more tender than she had ever been before by embracing the pain of what was to come.
“I decided that day that this is going to make me. This is going to be my strong point. I’m going to survive this. I’m going to thrive in this. I am going to be a better person for going through this,” – Mandy McCracken
Their path to recovery was anything but straightforward or guaranteed. Mandy understood that trauma is unpredictable and that oftentimes recovery requires a new normal and a lot of strength to begin again.
Professor Richard Bryant, an expert in trauma recovery, states, “We’re never trained for trauma. It occurs to us, and then we’ve got to work out from that moment: ‘how do I deal with it’?”
Mandy’s story is truly an inspiring example of what resilience can accomplish even against the gravest odds. Her journey from illness to health has changed her life and inspired her family and community to change their lives. After years of determination and help, she emerged as a mental health champion, bringing awareness to the importance of resilience.
