Danielle Campo McLeod says road to recovery is her 'new Olympics'
Paralympic gold medalist fought to stay alive following post-surgery complications
When she was a teenager, Danielle Campo McLeod was a Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder in swimming. Two decades later, she's beaten the odds once again after surviving near-fatal complications following the birth of her daughter.
"It was really touch and go ... but I fought really hard to stay here," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.
"I just knew I have more work to do, and more to give back to our community."
Campo McLeod gave birth to her daughter, Morgan, by caesarian section on Aug. 17, at Windsor Regional Hospital.
They were both healthy but Campo McLeod had to undergo surgery about a week later for a bowel obstruction.
She developed pneumonia and later went into septic shock and needed emergency surgery. Eventually, she was airlifted to University Hospital in London.
"There was three times that they let my entire family in a room together and said, you know, 'we're trying everything,'" she told CBC Radio's Windsor Morning from hospital, where she remains in recovery.
She really only remembers having the baby and then waking up in London.
"I don't have a lot of memories of Morgan, so I will make new ones," she said.
Campo McLeod, who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of two, won seven medals representing Canada at the 2000 and 2004 Paralympic Games.
She also won multiple world championship gold medals and set world records.
Last year, she received a new diagnosis of congenital myasthenic syndrome. She started on a new medication that made her feel like she had a "brand new body."
'This is my new Olympics'
But now, she has to re-learn how to do everything, with a long road of physiotherapy ahead.
She's had four abdominal surgeries and has an ileostomy bag. She said her core is weak and she cannot sit up, but she's getting stronger every day and challenging herself to take more steps.
Her goal is to be walking by Christmas.
"I know it's going to be a lot of work but this is my new Olympics, this is my new gold medal and world record is to get that body where it was," she said.
LISTEN | Hear more from Campo McLeod speaking with Windsor Morning, from her hospital recovery bed: