2012 - A New Beginning

Here it is the middle of 2012.  

We feel as if it would be a good time to update the happenings thus far.  The case as of this year was finally settled.  Far, far less than expected however when the big wigs wear you down you just want it to be over.  Six years after the battle began the legal side is over.


Calling this the new beginning is just that.  This year has awarded Shayla with a new fiance, new home and now a new pregnancy.  She is thriving in life to what one would say an excelled level.  
Her scars are to be forever in the view of the public yet her amazing outlook on life masks them well.  
 Her baby boy Garrett now six years old is an absolute doll with a strong independent momma at his side.  

Here's to all that have supported Shayla and Garrett through this life altering journey.  She and the rest of the family would truly love to send our deepest thanks and appreciation.

Onwards and Upwards!

Take care of those you are surrounded with.  Never for one moment take life for granted. 

Father Speaks Out

February 12, 2007

This Blog was created for one reason only, the hope that Shayla’s story will save someone’s life.

We want everyone to know what the symptoms are and what you think might be a simple infection,

might not be. In Shayla’s case it started at an attempted IV site on the left side of her neck. At first, it was just a small bump and some redness, it then started to swell and turned all red, it got hot to the touch as a lot of infections do. It then got small blisters on it, she was running a temp and was nauseous all the time. It keep getting larger and moved down into her chest and finally the skin turned black and died.

That is when the doctors new it was Necrotizing Fasciitis. (THE FLESH EATING BACTERIA) For five days prior they thought it was just a simple infection.

What scares me is that a 21 year old healthy woman can go to the hospital for something as routine as child birth and leave with a flesh eating bacteria that almost killed her.

We are supposed to trust our doctors and hospitals, have faith that they will heal us and not worry about

getting a disease that will kill. Unfortunately it happens every day.

“What does that say about our Hospitals?”

You can get the flesh eating bacteria from any open wound that gets infected, so Please be aware.

It does move fast and in a lot of cases it does kill. We where lucky and would love to thank everyone for their support and prayers.

Please explore this site and the links provided to educate your self on the bacteria and maybe save yours or someone else’s life.

Don’t forget to wash your hands.

Shayla’s Dad,

Mike Baier.

Angels

Shayla, Garrett & The Family would like to take this time to once again THANK all the people who have donated to the new fighting team of Shayla and Garrett. When strangers step up to lend their assistance it is truly breathtaking. You are the Angels that walk this great Earth. If anyone else would like to also donate it would be greatly appreciated. We have an account set-up at Wells Fargo Bank under "Shayla". The account number is: 3112243377. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

May God bless you all with miracles as amazing as Shayla & Garrett's.

Letter from Shayla - January 2007

AN UPDATE FROM SHAYLA

Well what to say?? It has been 6 months since all this happened and overall I think I am doing pretty good. I am doing alot better than some doctors thought I would be. I have not been able to go back to work just yet. Hopefully in a couple of months I will, but for right now I just stay at home and fulfill my duties as a mommy.

I am finished with Physical Therapy (THANK GOD)! Things are going pretty good. This winter has been a little rough on me due to the fact when it gets cold outside my shoulder really stiffens up and it is very hard to move. But I am thankful to be alive so I guess I shouldnt gripe about the little things, right?

Baby Garrett is growing up so fast its hard to keep up with him. He is now 6 months old. He is such a happy boy and sleeps all night long *WOO WHOO* ! He rarely cries. Just smiles and talks sooo much! He has realized how to laugh and I think it is the cutest thing I have ever heard. He is also discovering that he can roll over. I will lay him on a blanket in the middle of the floor and in 5 min. he will be clear across the room just from rolling! He is soo funny. I am truly blessed with such a wonderful and beautiful baby!

I just continue to pray everyday and thank god for the family and friends that I have had to help me get through this. And I also thank god for all of you out there who i dont know that prayed for me and helped me along the way. This year will be better I just know it. But really for right now I just take things day to day and face what God brings my way! Again Thank all of you for your love and Support! It means the world to me and Garrett!

If you would like to get ahold of me you can do so by emailing me at shaylasfight@msn.com
THANK YOU!

Personal Note from Shayla

GRAPHIC PICTURES

Recovering From Flesh Eating Disease - KKTV

A story you'll only see on 11 news...http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/3904076.html
A month ago, we first introduced you to Shayla Baier, a woman fighting for her life after being diagnosed with a rare flesh eating disease. When she was first diagnosed, doctors said she would probably not make it and told her family to pray for a miracle. Well, the family got their miracle. She is now home.
In July, Shayla was rushed to the Penrose Community Hospital in labor. A week after her son was born two months premature, Shayla discovered a red bump on her neck. Doctors just thought it was an infection and surgically inserted tubes to drain the wound. "The next day, it turned black. They took to Memorial Hospital with my dad and that’s the last thing I remember," Shayla told 11 News.
For the next month, Shayla remains in a medically induced coma, going through 4 more surgeries. Doctors were trying to remove the flesh-eating bacteria, also known as necrotizing fasciitis. It's rare, but the bacteria produce a toxin inside the body that eats away at your muscles and soft tissue. "They had to cut 1 ½ inches deep, cutting tendons and nerves and stuff. They tried not to get my face."
Now she can't lift her left arm. She recently had skin taken from her thighs and grafted it along her neck and chest. Shayla said there are several spots along her shoulder and neck that she can’t feel. It’s numb.
Shayla's been home for about a week now and she says she feels good for the most part. "All of this skin will fall off and look like this. It’ll start to turn normal in a year and doctors said you won't even be able to tell."
Shayla knows her neck can be shocking to some, but she's happy that she miraculously won a battle no one thought she would. "I just take it day by day."
Her son, Garrett, now six pounds, is finally coming home on Thursday. For more information about the flesh eating bacteria, return to the homepage and click on “As Seen On KKTV”. Also, if you would like to donate to Shayla’s medical bills, go to any Wells Fargo Bank. The account number is 3112243377.

September 13th, 2006 - Gazette

A brush with death - http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1321510&table=story_archive&sec=1#/
Shayla Baier is home recovering from a flesh-eating bacteria that nearly cost her her life. She must keep the wound exposed so it can heal. Skin grafts from her legs helped fill in the area where surgeries removed affected skin and tissue.
Woman credits prayer, support for overcoming flesh-eating infection
By CARY LEIDER VOGRIN THE GAZETTE
When Shayla Baier’s family looks at her, they don’t see a young woman with a massive wound on her chest and neck. They see a medical marvel — and much more. “It’s unbelievable. We got our miracle. Woo-hoo!” her father, Mike Baier, said Tuesday. More than a month after contracting a case of necrotizing fasciitis, a rare and sometimes deadly infection commonly known as “flesh-eating bacteria,” his daughter is home. Shayla Baier, 21, didn’t know about her brush with death until she awoke in a Denver hospital in late August and was told surgeons in Colorado Springs and Denver repeatedly had to cut away dead flesh

in a battle against the bacteria. “It’s crazy to think about,” she said while resting Tuesday in a recliner in her Colorado Springs apartment. “I almost died. But it was the prayers and support that got me through. Can you put in there ‘thank you for all the prayers and love and support’?” “We really feel like it’s a miracle,” added her grandmother, Janet Baier of Kansas. “We have to remember to always thank God.” Shayla began experiencing symptoms of an infection July 24, when she noticed soreness and swelling in her neck. Redness followed, and then her skin turned black. Such infections occur when an invasive strain of group A streptococcus enters a cut or scrape. The bacteria quickly multiply and give off toxins that kill the tissue. The Centers for Disease Control estimates the mortality rate for necrotizing fasciitis at 20 to 30 percent, although other medical literature lists much higher death rates. Shayla had given birth to a boy June 22 at Penrose Community Hospital, and her father said it’s believed the infection started at an intravenous site on her neck. Surgeons at Memorial Hos- pital first removed dead tissue from her neck Aug. 2; she later was transferred to the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver. Shayla said she cried a lot after she awoke — not because of a large wound that stops at her jawline, but because she couldn’t be with her son, who she learned was still in the hospital after being born two months early. In fact, she didn’t cry when she saw her neck and chest. “She was kind of prepared because I explained it to her several times,” said her dad. “I thought it looked nasty,” Shayla said. “It looked like the ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ Everyone said, ‘Oh, it looks good.’ I thought it looked gross. I still think it looks gross, but I guess it’s doing good.” Her wound does not look as deep as it is. Surgeons packed it with a special dressing that serves as a framework on which new cells can attach, enabling the body to rebuild itself. Skin from Shayla’s thighs was grafted over the wound. Shayla wears only tube tops so the wound can heal more quickly. She also takes two pain medications and will undergo weeks of occupational and physical therapy. The lower left side of her face is numb, as is part of her arm because of nerve damage. Swallowing is harder than it used to be. Her legs are weak from weeks in bed, and even though son Garrett has been hospitalized directly across the street from her Academy Boulevard apartment, she has had to get rides to see him. Her doctor told her it might be a year before she’s completely healed and can return to her job as a cashier at Wal-Mart. Her paternal grandparents plan to stay with her until she and Garrett no longer need their help. Shayla received news Tuesday that her son can come home this week. “He’ll be on oxygen, but he’s all right,” she said. And after everything, she considers herself fortunate and believes she and her son are living miracles. “I just gotta remember everything happens for a reason and you may not know why it happened right now, but eventually it comes to you. God has a plan. One day I’ll figure out why,” she said. CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0236 or cary.vogrin@gazette.com COMMENT ON THIS STORY (4)

Amazing

Well so far Momma and baby are doing well at home. Granted they spend most of their time shuttling from one doctor to the next for each of them but hey at least they can do it together. Shayla has some up and down days. Her system is still weaker than most therefore, she has been getting sick often. Hopefully that too will pass soon. Garrett is eating like a little champ. I do believe the other day when we talked he was up to 3 oz and fussing for more. Keep up the good work little man!

The support from friends, family and even complete strangers have meant so much! Thank you! I spoke with Shayla the other day who said that as soon as she is able she would love to write a letter from herself for her blog. So let's send her some encouraging words to coast her along shall we?
~April

Homecomings.

Looks like Thursday evening (Sept. 14th) around 7:30p.m. Shayla gets to go pick little Garrett up from the Hospital and finally bring him home! She has had to learn how to put him in and take him out of his car seat with his oxygen aparatus. She has also been taught any CPR she might have to administer to him. This will be a joyous event and also a huge undertaking. Since Shayla still has a long way to go on her own before she is as healed as she can be, taking care of a little baby will definately be a challenge. Thank you for keeping her and Garrett in your prayers.
~April Fowler

New picture of Garrett