Lexi Kennedy, from Edinburgh, was “amazing” when she saved her mum’s life by picking up the phone and calling for an ambulance and telling a 999 operator that she was “not responding”
A nine-year-old girl saved her mum’s life by calling an ambulance and telling an operator she was a diabetic and “not responding”.
Lexi Kennedy, from Edinburgh, leapt into action when her mum Laura Mapplebeck, 45, fell unconscious as she struggled with a stomach bug. Laura has type 1 diabetes which renders her immune system more vulnerable to infections.
She fell ill on September 21, making her unable to keep food down and causing her blood sugar to plummet. A blood sugar level below 3.9 mmol/L is low and can be harmful, and a blood sugar level below 3.0 mmol/L is “cause for immediate action”, according to MedlinePlus. And Laura’s blood sugar was even lower at 2.5 mmol/L, meaning she was at risk of falling into a coma.
Lexi responded quickly when her mum collapsed on the floor and Laura remembers her nine-year-old daughter calmly explaining the situation over the phone to the police, saying “she’s not responding, she’s not responding.”
Laura said: “Lexi told them I had been sick and that I’m type 1 diabetic. The police said they were sending an ambulance right away.” Lexi even phoned Laura’s parents to inform them about what had happened. Laura was rushed to the Royal Infirmary where she was administered fluids and morphine. She spent the night before being discharged the following morning, reported EdinburghLive.
The mum, who has lived with diabetes her whole life, can usually feel when her blood sugar is low – but this situation was more dire, with Laura saying “this was way beyond” the normal for her diabetes. She continued: “I couldn’t have a bit of chocolate [to raise my blood sugar] if I tried because I was being sick, I couldn’t have eaten anything. The ambulance had to come because there was no way I was getting anything in my system.”
Without Lexi’s quick-thinking, Laura may not have made it to the hospital. The mum was in awe of her young daughter’s ability to think so clearly and communicate with the first responders. She said: “It was amazing. If it was me, I would have panicked if Lexi was lying on the floor. I wouldn’t be saying ‘she’s not responding’. I’d be screaming, ‘help me’. She was so calm.
“I’m so proud of her. She’s an absolute angel of a daughter.” Laura was so grateful to Lexi for saving her life that she wanted to treat her daughter to a special night. The mum said: “She’s a massive Taylor Swift fan so I’ve managed to get tickets to see a tribute act in Dunfermline. I’ve got her an outfit with boots, a wig, and a hat.” Laura said when Lexi found out about the concert she was delighted adding: “She’s tried the outfit on constantly, she is so excited.”
