Oklahoma woman defying odds after surgery complication

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A surgery turned life-threatening overnight for one Oklahoma City mother, but thanks to quick action from her daughter and medical team, she's defying the odds.

"There was a point doctors and people didn't think I'd survive, but here I am, and so I want people to know God still works miracles," said Senaqua Hildreth, patient.

Last year, Hildreth was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, known as IIH.

"High pressures in the brain, which cause headaches and some visual disturbance for people," said Dr. Andrew Bauer, OU Health.

Hildreth went to OU Health to have a VP Shunt placed, which is a tube meant to relieve pressure in her brain.

"She'd had scans and whatnot after surgery that showed nothing; everything looked fine," said Dr. Bauer.

But hours after being sent home, her life took a terrifying turn.

"My daughter found me unconscious in the bathroom, and so I had lost consciousness and had a brain bleed, stroke," said Hildreth.

Hildreth was rushed to OU Health and into surgery, where doctors removed the blood clot and shunt.

She then spent weeks in the ICU, followed by months of rehab.

"I still have extensive therapies, outpatient rehab therapies that I go to each week to regain my strength and learn how to do all the things," said Hildreth.

With family by her side, Hildreth is learning to live life differently, one day at a time.

"Just knowing and understanding that I can't do what I used to and knowing that I may not be that same person in the future," said Hildreth.

Doctors say timing and trust made all the difference.

"These things happen, and a lot of these things we can't explain entirely and sometimes even when we do these procedures or surgeries or things, things go great, no problem, but yet they can still have a complication of some sort," said Dr. Bauer.

Dr. Bauer expects Hildreth to make a full recovery.