MANDEVILLE, La. — It's the worst news a parent can receive: doctors saying your baby may not survive a severe infection. John and Brenna Wood from Mandeville have been facing that fear for the last two months, until now.
On June 10, their one and a half year old daughter, Scarlett Wood, tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. It's typically carried by dairy, raw meat, or contaminated produce. They can't know for sure how she got it.
Most people recover fine, but Scarlett was one of the 5 to 10 percent who developed a life-threatening complication called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome or HUS. It caused Scarlett's kidneys to shut down. She's been in the hospital ever since, but has defied the odds and finally gets to go home.
"Today is day 73, not that we've been counting," John Wood said.
Wood said shortly after contracting E. coli and developed HUS, Scarlett coded. Two and a half hours of CPR left her with brain damage and she was put on life support.
"They were painting a very bleak picture, probably never walk, probably never talk, very limited movement, she was basically paralyzed on the left side from stroke," Wood said. "There were several conversations about potential end of life and that was a decision my wife and I just couldn't come to do."
Scarlett couldn't either because now, she is not only off a ventilator, but she is walking, talking, and dancing as she recovers in Children's Hospital in New Orleans.
"Last week she started walking and now we almost can't stop her. She's dancing, her only limitation is that six-foot feeding tube," Wood said.
She's become popular at Children's, her home for the last 40 or so days.
"We are stopped almost every day and people have heard her story and see her here and she's a little miracle baby, her recovery has been nothing short of a miracle," Wood said.
"The nature of Scarlett's resuscitation was quite prolonged. After that sort of event, you may see a significant neurologic injury," said Pediatric Neurologist, Dr. Daniella Miller at Children's Hospital. "Really she has exceeded everyone's expectations."
"Both the nephrologists at Ochsner and here said about a two percent chance of kidney function returning and the last report from the nephrologist is about a 90 percent total recovery of her kidneys," Wood said. "So it's amazing."
Scarlett is once again dancing to her favorite song, Fancy Like by country singer Walker Hayes. After hearing her story, Hayes reached out to the family and shows his support through texts and video messages.
"We love you guys, just want to say hey," Walker said in a video text to Wood while wearing a 'Stay Strong Scarlett' shirt.
Scarlett gets to say goodbye to hospital rooms as this week she heads home.
"She's going to walk out that door Thursday, she's going to walk out that door. I'm sure of it," Wood said.
Her battle isn't over though. Doctors tell the family she will have lifelong complications and limitations. They just won't know what those are until they present themselves.
"They say the vast majority of recovery takes place in the first year and anything after that will be what she will live with going forward," Wood said.
Still, the family is thankful for the improvements she has already made. You can follow Scarlett’s journey here: https://www.facebook.com/staystrongscarlett/