Mom was 'gasping for air' after fatal allergic reaction — until CVS staff stepped in and saved her life
There is no guarantee of your next moment in life. In just seconds, things can go wrong and having someone step in out of concern and kindness is often life-saving. A mom, Brooke Fulham, shared how her experience at a pharmacy saved her life. The woman had gone to pick up her son’s medicines at the CVS Pharmacy and realized she was having a severe allergic reaction to something, per DC News. In moments, her condition worsened and it was the assistance of the pharmacists that helped save her life. Sharing in a post on Facebook, she expressed her gratitude to the duo.
Fulham recalled purchasing the medication from the pharmacy and leaving the store. However, that’s exactly when she felt off. “I got to my car and I actually got in it, I opened up the visor. That’s when I looked at my face and my face was completely swollen. My eyes were almost swollen shut,” Fulham said. She felt like she was choking and was unable to breathe or swallow and with every second her condition was getting worse. The mom noted that the same was due to an allergic reaction she had to a vaccine. “I went into anaphylaxis shock after having my allergy shot injection,” she explained. Unfortunately, in her desperate condition, she was unable to use her EpiPen despite having it right with her.
“All I thought was, ‘Well if I don’t get somewhere where there’s a lot of people, no one is going to know what’s happening. Nobody is going to understand. I don’t want to die in my car, I don’t want to die in the street,’” the mom remarked. Fulham rushed with all the energy she had to the store and dashed to the counter. “I grabbed my EpiPen and ran as fast as I could knowing I didn’t have much time. I slammed my EpiPen on the counter and started pointing to my throat,” she explained. The mom immediately went unconscious thereafter but luckily the staff were astute and sprung to action. The pharmacists at the counter, Sangita Sah and Emily Bui, were sharp and understood the scenario.
They dialed 911 while quickly administering the EpiPen to the woman. This simple yet crucial act saved her life. Fulham was moved to a hospital thereafter and discharged shortly. Sah recalled not panicking at all and was instead glad that the woman came in. Bui mentioned that it was brave and strong of the mom to make her way through despite her condition. Fulham thanked the duo for their help and urged people to be vigilant and others who have the need, to always have their EpiPen on them. She mentioned that the doctors were shocked about how she was saved astutely and that she carried her EpiPen with her, which most people don’t.
Jan Walker White, Fulham’s mother, extended her thanks to the duo for their concern and help. “Her heart was there for Christ and I knew he was going to be taking care of her,” she said, believing them to be godsend. “I was in the right place at the right time. God was watching over me. But the real heroes were the CVS pharmacy team on Burke Center Parkway,” Fulham wrote in her post.