SINGAPORE — Ten months ago, former national shooter Aishah Samad was a healthy, independent mother-of-two who enjoyed travelling, outdoor activities and spending time with her friends.

But today, the 40-year-old struggles with simple tasks such as brushing her teeth, bathing and feeding herself after illness resulted in the amputation of all her limbs.

Aishah was returning from a 10-day vacation with her sister and nephew in China last July when she was struck with severe stomach cramps. Despite being prescribed painkillers by doctors at Shanghai’s Pudong Airport, the pain persisted and she was rushed to Changi General Hospital on arrival in Singapore.

Septic shock, a medical condition due to severe infection that can cause multiple organ dysfunction and failure, crept in while Aishah was under sedation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), resulting in kidney, liver and lung failure.

Hooked up to beeping machines and to tubes, doctors had given her less than a 20 per cent chance of survival, while gangrene had set in, leaving her limbs blackened and rotten.

Faced with a battle for their loved one’s life, Aishah’s family made the painful decision to allow doctors to amputate her limbs.

According to doctors, Aishah had been hit by streptococcus, a bacterial infection that eventually led to toxic shock and organ failure. She was eventually discharged from hospital in late October.

Speaking to TODAY about her experience in an interview at her Bedok North flat yesterday, Aishah said: “At that time, I was quite out of it and I remember my sister telling me ‘the doctor needs to cut your hands and legs’ and I said okay because I thought it was only my toes and fingers.

“I was unconscious for almost four weeks. When I woke up I saw I had lost half my legs and half my arms. I was not hysterical because I was too weak and my family and friends were there to divert my attention. It was only when I was alone that I thought ‘what am I going to do now?’ I cried once for a short while in the hospital.”

But instead of wallowing in self-pity, the feisty woman decided to take charge of her life.

Determined to reinvent herself as a motivational speaker, Aishah recently took up courses in life coaching, and conducted talks with companies and youths.

“To say I’m not sad is a lie; I am sad,” she said.

“When I first went downstairs to the neighbourhood after this, people stared at me and I felt humiliated. But when that happens now, I smile at them and ask them how they are. Sometimes I get frustrated because I was so independent before but now I have to rely on my maid and family to do everything. But I want to tell people my story, inspire others and show them life doesn’t stop when you have lost things precious to you.”

A bronze medallist (Women’s Team 50m Rifle Prone) at the 2003 SEA games in Vietnam, Aishah — who also won an individual gold and bronze at the 2003 and 2004 SEA Shooting Association Championships — is also eager to get back to her first love: Shooting. But she needs about S$92,000 to pay for prosthetic limbs to aid her daily activities. A pair of B-Bionic V3 arms will cost S$80,000, while two prosthetic legs are priced at S$6,000 each.

The divorced mother of two sons aged 20 and 18 is currently living off her savings.

Former and current national shooters like Lim Chea Rong, Lee Wung Yew and 2012 London Olympian Jasmine Ser have chipped in to help after learning of her plight.

A Charity Fun Shoot for Aishah has been organised on May 18 and 19 (9.30am to 5.30pm) at Bukit Batok HomeTeamNS Air Gun Range and SAFRA Yishun Air Weapons Range respectively.

The event will be open to the public and participants can learn the sport from current and ex-national shooters at S$20 per session of 10 shots.

“I have seen a change in her after the incident and she’s much more positive now,” said Lim, a former national team-mate of Aishah.

“When I first saw her, I didn’t know how to react but she is such a positive person. When word spread of what had happened to Aishah, we decided to help raise some money for her. The whole shooting community is involved in this and we did not expect such a response.”

Aishah’s positive attitude to life has inspired her elder son Muhammad Syafiq Jafni Jasmani, a final-year student at ITE College Central.

Said the 20-year-old: “Her time in hospital was very stressful and tiring for us because we worried about her health and finances. But one thing that didn’t change is her positive attitude and she has grown stronger. I am so proud of her, and she is my role model.”

Aishah dreams of representing Singapore in the Paralympic Games one day, but for now, life goes on for her.

“I have never asked ‘why me’. My only question is what have I done to make Him (God) so upset with me?” she said. “But this is for me to have a second life. I want to inspire others.”