Tough Chick | A Journey of Fighting for Life

James 1:2-3 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” In 2008, Jane and Lauren walked through trials like they never imagined. I’m thankful that Lauren is willing to tell her story of walking through this scary time as a child and for Jane sharing how she watched her daughter fight for her life.

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The Beginning of the Story | Lauren’s View

When I was in the third grade, my family went to visit my grandpa at the lake in Locust Grove. During that visit we had lunch at a restaurant with him. We went home that night, and everything was fine, but the next week my whole family started to get extremely sick. They gradually got better, but I got worse. After a few days my mom took me to the doctor, and I was immediately sent to the hospital. I ended up missing six weeks of school.

I was diagnosed with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, which is a severe, life-threatening complication of E. coli that occurs in about ten percent of those who contract it. I had terrible cramping and was extremely dehydrated; the pain was almost unbearable. It was the most pain I had ever felt in my almost nine years. At the hospital I was rushed into surgery to have dialysis ports implanted in my stomach. Dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure; my kidneys were only functioning at five percent, and I ended up being on dialysis for two weeks. I also had to have surgery to take the ports out. I got my nutrition through an IV, had five blood transfusions, and was intubated for five days, which means I was very heavily sedated and not awake or aware of what was going on.

Someone at the hospital investigated and found that there were a great deal of people in the hospital with the same thing I had. We had all eaten at that same restaurant in Locust Grove in the past week. The Health Department never figured out exactly what made everyone sick, but their guess is that someone who prepared the food did not use gloves or wash their hands. I was one of the worst cases in this outbreak, however, one man died.

The Hospital Stay | Jane’s View

The doctors kept telling me it was a marathon, not a sprint, but of course as a mom I wanted it over immediately. It’s heartbreaking to watch your child suffer the way she did. That said, our family has a deep and solid trust in the Lord, and I believe that is what sustained us during this time. I remember the night I finally broke down and told God, “Whatever your will is for her, I accept it - she is yours first.” Lauren had already come to faith in Christ, so I knew if she was not physically healed on earth, she would be fully healed and with Him in heaven.

I remember the night I finally broke down and told God, “Whatever your will is for her, I accept it - she is yours first.”—Jane

The Hospital Stay | Lauren’s View

While I was in the hospital, a multitude of people visited me. My school made posters and cards for me, and many of my friends and my family’s friends came to visit me and prayed for me. I turned nine years old in the hospital, and I still have bags full of cards people sent to me. I got visits from people I did not know; I even got one from some Tulsa University cheerleaders.

My mom started a CaringBridge website to keep everyone updated, and people that my family and I had never met or talked to posted and said they prayed for me every day. My church held a blood drive while I was in the hospital and several people who had never given blood before did that day because of me. Our church at the time brought my family three meals a day for the whole time I was in the hospital. I ended up being in the hospital for 25 days. Although I didn’t realize that all of this was going on at the time, I am so thankful for each person who served me and my family during those difficult days. 

Getting Better | Jane’s View

Thankfully, my prayers were answered in the way I begged for. After two weeks on dialysis in the PICU and a total of 25 days in the hospital, Lauren was cleared to go home! Six weeks later she was back in school full time, and to this day she has no lasting effects from that harrowing time.

Getting Better | Lauren’s View

After those excruciating and life-changing days, I was healthy enough that they allowed me to go home. For weeks after I still had to have blood drawn, and I had to have checkups for the doctor to examine my kidneys. I could only go to school for half days for a while before I went back full time. I am very healthy now, but high blood pressure is a great concern in my future.

Reflections | Jane

Lauren is now a junior in college, and I have had the pleasure of watching her grow into a beautiful young woman who lives out her love for the Lord. She takes every opportunity to share her story and use it to praise God.

Reflections | Lauren

I have had many amazing opportunities to share my story with people. I had an article in the Tulsa World, my family and I got to tell my story on the radio, and I have been able to share it with many people and groups. 

I have learned through this experience that God has a plan for everything. The things that happen to us may not be part of our plan, but they are a part of God’s plan. God sometimes uses our experiences to bless other people or to help us learn something. The reason I believe God had me go through that was to show me that people really did love and care for me. Occasionally, when I meet someone new, they will recognize my name and tell me they prayed for me in the hospital. It is the most amazing feeling to realize someone you have never met had prayed for you.

God sometimes uses our experiences to bless other people or to help us learn something. —Lauren

I’m glad God had me go through that experience. Not the physical part but the spiritual parts of it. It made me stronger, and showed me that we cannot plan everything out. It also showed me that God is in charge of everything, and nothing happens to us without going through Him first.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13