Airman stays resilient after medical emergency last year

Published Nov. 12, 2014
By Airman 1st Class Kiana Brothers
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Four days after giving birth to a baby boy, Senior Airman India King was medically evacuated to St. Louis University Hospital. When she arrived in August of 2013, the doctors discovered she was actively hemorrhaging in her brain, which required a total of three surgeries.

"It was very surprising. I knew I had high blood pressure from the pregnancy, but I didn't know it was enough to cause something this traumatic," said King, 375th Medical Support Squadron Medical Laboratory Technician.

She was at home when she said she suddenly felt a large amount of pain in her head.

"I can't even describe the amount of pain I was in," she said. "I started thrashing around because the pain was so severe; I couldn't even open my eyes."

During her stay at the hospital, King also had a stroke due to her veins shutting down and not providing enough oxygen to her brain. She was treated and a couple days later she finally woke up to her fiancé and parents in the hospital room.

It has been a long year of adjustments, and she is still recovering with the help of her family and co-workers.

"It definitely changed a lot of things," she said. "At first, I had some left sided disabilities that prevented me from holding my baby and two-year-old son on that side."

It also limited her capabilities to do simple things like carry groceries, but it hasn't affected her ability to perform her duties as a lab technician. The Air Force conducted a medical evaluation board and determined that she can remain on active duty with a few accommodations that will help her as she continues to recover.

During this time, King has leaned on her fiancé, Larry, and her co-workers for help.

"Larry is a valuable support system for me right now, and we have a very good balance of working through my limitations," she said.

Another person who supports King is her mentor, a retired master sergeant, who assists her with the children while she continues her education.

"I don't want this to stop me from achieving goals of getting my degree and being able to help my kids with homework in a couple years," said King, who is studying for a certification and has two more classes for a Community College of the Air Force degree.

This will help her achieve a management position within her career field, something that she feels is more physically manageable.

To help with mobility and coordination skills, she's found that doing projects that she found on Pinterest is helpful. She and her children enjoy making crafts and desserts.

"That's what we do for fun as a family," King said, "It helps my motor skills as well. My family and I bond over this and I get to actively participate."

It's not exactly how she saw her career going as a laboratory technician, but she can still participate in a career field that she really enjoys, she said. If there are issues, her co-workers are quick to help.

"If you didn't know her background story, you wouldn't realize that she is dealing with that kind of stuff," said Tech. Sgt. Amanda Sandry, 375th MDSS Medical Laboratory Technician. "I am very proud of her with what she has accomplished so far, and what she has been through. She continues to fight back and handle everything well."