PARKERSBURG, Iowa (CNN) -- Complications from the flu caused a 4-year-old girl to go blind. But now, she has regained her sight.
It all started just before Christmas last year when Jade Delucia had a cold.
"She was still running around and playing with her sister, so I didn't really think too much of it," said Amanda Phillips, Jade's mom.
But by morning, Jade was unresponsive. Her parents rushed her to the emergency room, where she was life-flighted to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's hospital.
"For about four hours it was really rough. We weren't really sure if we were going to lose her there. They actually had to have two crash carts in there," said Phillips.
Jade has to be put on full life support in the pediatric ICU. But after several weeks in the hospital recovering, Jade made progress.
But a complication from the flu caused Jade to go blind.
"She had a condition called acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy, secondary to influenza B," said Dr. Theresa Czech, Jade's pediatrician during her stay at the hospital.
Neurologists told Jade's parents that they weren't sure what her condition was going to be in the long term.
But after each low point, Jade would bounce back and eventually she would regain her sight.
"After a couple of weeks of being home, we noticed that she was able to see, she was following people around and putting the toilet seat down, she was giving high fives, and it was awesome. So it was so cool she was able to see again, it was the best thing," said Phillips.
Jade's family is hopeful for a healthy future and are looking forward to being able to celebrate Christmas. One that Jade can see for herself.
Jade has an appointment with an eye specialist to determine what's next in her healing journey. Her mom says doctors will continue to monitor her development as she starts kindergarten.
