SHAYLYN AN� EN�A�E�ENT� COURTESY OF THE PRESS FA�ILY |
“ The whirlwind started on a race to the hospital ,” Bob Press says . The family hopped on aprivate jet on stand-by at Teterboro and rushed to the hospital for Shaylyn ’ s saving grace .
Following the transplant , doctors prescribed ��drugs . Doses were scheduled five times a day . Shaylyn ’ s parents made it clear at ayoung age that her health required extraordinary vigilance . “ They didn ’ t sugarcoat anything ,” says Shaylyn .
Press says she first caught wind of her condition in preschool . Everyone had to be on alert , as acase of chicken pox could have been fatal . “ That ’ s when I really knew ,” she says .
|
There were other trials ahead . She lives with Asperger ’ s and learning disabilities that came to light once her physical health was secured . “ She ’ s overcome obstacles in her life since birth ,” her father says . “ Going through school , she was bullied . She was made fun of .”
Press takes one medication every other day . She has since she was � . “ I take every day as a gift ,” she says . “ I ’ m very blessed that I have this other girl ’ s liver inside of me . Otherwise , Iwould not behere .” �er donor liver is expected to last her lifetime .
So will the connection with her donor , though Press says she wants to make it more tangible . She had planned to visit her
|
donor ’ s gravesite in August �0�0 . Pennsylvania law had kept the donor family ’ s identity secret , but the accident nonetheless made news . It didn ’ t take much for her father to obtain the accident report . A curious clerk even sent him a photo of the little girl ’ s headstone etched with an image of her face .
The COVID-1� pandemic curtailed Press ’ s trip to Buffalo , but she hopes to go soon . “ That would really mean alot to me ,” she says .
�er father says he ’ s confident they will make the trip . “ Shaylyn is living her best life ,” Bob Press says . “ And we ’ re just going along for the ride .” ❖
|
( 201 ) HEALTH 2021 EDITION ��
|