Mother comes home after losing arms and legs in rare infection in the Carolinas

ROCK HILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — “I mean they bring a lot of joy, they are obviously loud and crazy boys, but they bring a lot of joy to our home.”

There’s no way of knowing when time is up, when it’s the last ‘good morning,’ or ‘I love you.’  Time may be a trickster, but there are some who overcome the odds and take back what was stolen.

“I almost died, I think, many times. There was definitely one time they had to use the paddles, they did restart my heart,” remembered Ciara Dierking.

“Immediately, one of the nurses came over and talked to me and said, I want to let you know this is very serious,” remembered David Dierking.

To understand how we got here, first, we have to go back in time when David met Ciara.

“First thing I thought was, she’s beautiful,” smiled David.

They fell in love, got married, and had two kids- Jackson and Colton. Time felt endless.

Until December 26, 2023.

Then 3-year-old Colton was sick. They rushed him to the hospital where doctors learned he had Covid-19, Strep and two lumps on his neck.

“During the next night, I definitely knew something was wrong because it was feeling like my chest was very heavy, like I couldn’t take a deep breath,” said Ciara.

Two days later, Ciara texted David. She couldn’t breathe and decided to go to the emergency room. The nurse told David that time was running out.

Ciara had pneumonia and strep. The infection had spread to her bloodstream, causing her to go into septic shock as her organs began to shut down.

“Then I realized that this was actually life or death at this point, that’s the first time that I broke down,” said David.

After two surgeries, Colton got better but Ciara was still fighting. The infection had taken her legs and then her arms, multiple times it almost took her.

“I’ve never seen any of my brothers cry, and we had a whole room of brothers that were just bawling,” David said. “It’s a moment I will never forget, I hope to never see it again.”

“You don’t know your way out. When I’m talking to David, when I’m talking to her parents, they are just looking for some semblance of hope,” said Dr. Terrence Pugh, with Carolinas Rehabilitation. Dr. Pugh looked out for Ciara and guided her through rehab.

“Her attitude throughout the entire ordeal was second to none,” said Pugh.

Six months after she first went into the hospital, it was finally time to come home.

“There’s been a lot of moments where it’s just been, it’s been so sweet to have them back and be a mom again,” said Ciara.

Right now, it’s moment by moment and day by day. But she’ll happily take all the time she can.

Ciara’s family is trying to get their home ready for her. They are installing an elevator so she can use her chair and a lift in the front. They were able to find a minivan that could transport her, but they have a long road ahead.

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