One week after being attacked by the family dog, a Great Bend woman has undergone two surgeries and is recovering at a Wichita hospital. Shelly LeRoy expects to spend the next month or longer at Via Christi - St. Francis Hospital, according to her daughter, Rachel LeRoy.
Shelly was in her own backyard the afternoon on Friday, July 31, when the pit-bull breed dog she has owned for over eight years attacked her, her daughter said. She was taken to Great Bend Regional Hospital and then transferred to an Intensive Care Unit at St. Francis.
“She is in her own room now,” Rachel said Thursday. “She’s got a long road ahead of her ... it’s a long road ahead of us.”
The family is accepting donations and posting updates online at GoFundMe.com. The page is called “Shelly’s Angel” and it can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/8r5dxxx74c.
“My mother is an animal lover, and never abused this dog,” Rachel posted on the website. “The dog, Sam, was a nice dog. He never bit anyone prior to the attack. He was always very sweet and loving. She called him, ‘my boy.’ He was an indoor pet, and often slept with my mom, and her husband, Matthew.
“Nothing brought on this attack, except the use of the word, ‘no.’ This is her side of the story: She was relaxing in the pool in her back yard, and her husband let the dog outside to use the bathroom. Sam came up to the side of the pool and put his paws up on the edge, trying to get in. She told him no, and he nipped her thigh. It hurt, so she got up off of float up raft she was laying on to get out of the pool. He jumped in anyway.
“I won’t get into gruesome details. A girl, who was mowing her lawn a block away, heard my mom crying out for help, so she rushed to see what was happening. The girl pounded on the front door, and thankfully my stepdad was inside. He got to my mom just in time to save her life.”
LeRoy has multiple wound vacs, is on multiple antibiotics and pain medication, Rachel said. “She will need plastic surgery — lots of skin grafting, wound care, and eventually physical therapy.”
Shelly LeRoy underwent exploratory surgery last Monday, and her second surgery on Thursday. Another is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 10.
Before her second surgery, Rachel said, caregivers were concerned about possible infection in the bone, which could potentially lead to amputation. However, the surgery went well, and LeRoy is in good spirits.
“All the family and visitors help keep her mind off of things,” Rachel posted online. “My stepdad and I are pampering her, to say the least. Not to mention all of the amazing hospital staff. They are doing a great job. She has such a wonderful attitude because she knows she is in good hands. Thank you, everyone for all of your help. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate all of the love and support.”