It all started on a family vacation to Hawaii. Shelby and her dad both got sick. We thought it was a little virus or a touch of food poisioning. After 24 hours, they both seemed to feel somewhat better, and then flew to Maui. Shelby became extremely ill that first night in Maui. We took her to the main hospital and she was diagnosed with colitis. After the symptoms continued for 5 days 

         We flew home and went to our local E.R. While there she had a seizure and went into a coma. They then sent Shelby to a hospital in Hungtington, WV where they have an pediatric ICU. Two wonderful doctors diagnosed her with HUS and TTP. They could not treat her there because they did not have the equipment or doctors there to do so. They then flew her to Columbus Childrens Hospital. She had contracted ecoli in Hawaii and it had turned into HUS. The poisonous gases from the ecoli started to affecting her organs and blood. The next thing we knew, she had swelling on the brain from the TTP, which the doctors in Columbus Childrens Hospital think was caused by the HUS.

        Shelby was in ICU there for 14 days and then moved down to stepdown for 7 days. With kidney dialysis and plasmapheresis together for 14 days we saw an improvement. Shelby was on a respirator for 12 days and we had no idea if we would ever get to talk to her again, if she made it, or if she would even recognize us. They told us they didn't know the damage her brain had taken and if she would be the same Shelby she was before. Also her kidneys did not function for 21 days. We left for Hawaii with a healthy, beautiful, smart 13 year old daughter who danced every day of her life since she was 3. How could something like this happen because of food poisoning? Shelby is a miracle, even the doctors who were giving us little hope at first can't believe the young lady she is today.

      She relearned alot of things over again, but with her determination and love for life she amazes me over and over again. She is my hero and I know God has something amazing planned for her. We are so lucky to get to watch her grow up and I thank God and the wonderful doctors at Children's Hospital in Columbus, especially Dr. Metzer! There are so many amazing moments that I have and so many horrible moments that I relive it every day of my life.

Tammy Jo Edge - Shelby's Mom