It was so traumatic. She doesnt remember much, which, in a way, Im thankful for as it was so distressing for her. As medics sprang into action, working around the clock to save Heron, her motherbecame terrified she would not make it. The day after she was admitted to the hospital, it looked as if her worst fears would be realized when Heron suddenly stopped breathing. Her throat had swollen so much that she couldnt breathe, it was horrendous to watch. She was throwing up all this blood and skin. I really thought she was going to die. While doctors managed to stabilize Heron, the condition continued to ravage her body, leaving the skin on her face, chest, back, and arms so burnt that it fell away. Her lips also swelled to the point where they burst and her mouth became covered in painful ulcers. Doctors told us it was one of the worst cases they had ever seen, Carmen Heron said. Danika was barely conscious most of the time, and had this button to press to get pain relief when it became too much. Her organs were failing and she had so much internal scarring. She was being burnt from the inside out. Her entire body was bandaged, and when the dressings were removed, her skin came away too. Finally, after three weeks, Heron slowly began to rally and was discharged six days later. But, her journey was far from over, as she was left with side-effects such as the loss of her hair and nails. Her skin is still healing to this day and she also needs hearing aids as the insides of her ears are so scarred. As well as the physical fallout, she is also fighting the emotional legacy of SJS, having suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Were still dealing with SJS - it didnt stop when we left hospital, Carmen Heron said. Danika will have days where she feels incredibly low and struggles with flashbacks of being in hospital. Thankfully, if she feels that way, she will phone us right away. We have found that, as a family, its good to talk rather than bottle everything up, however difficult those memories might be. Another side-effect of Heronsordeal was the warning by doctors that, due to the amount of internal scarring she had sustained, it was unlikely she would ever conceive. According to the U.S. Library of National Medicine, SJS and TEN often cause the tissue around the mucous membranes which line various cavities in the body, including the eyes, ears, mouth, vagina, and urethra, as well as covering the organs to die. As a result, women can experience vaginal lesions that lead to painful intercourse, difficulty conceiving, and even infertility. The doctors said they could refer her to a gynecologist to run some tests, but she never went I think she didnt want to hear the answers, Carmen Heron said. But, in December 2018, the Heron family received some news they thought they would never hear. Danika rang me crying. I immediately panicked and said, Whats wrong ?

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