Hello, I’m Stephanie Rock I had e-coli 0157-H7 about 10 years ago, in 1993 , I was born in 1987 and I’m now 16.

It's hard to share the most tragic event of your life - even harder to deal with when it happens at age five. But, I guess I’m one of the privileged victims, I survived.

The first thing I remember about e-coli was seeing a pool of blood under me as I cramped over in pain on our kitchen tile waiting for breakfast early one morning. After reverting back to my potty training diapers so I could go to my pediatrician he sent me right to the hospital. Chills, Colonoscopy's, Needles, IV's and vomiting are the memories I have from my hospital stay.

Doctor's weren't sure what to diagnose me with, so my treatment was all wrong. Frustrated my Mom did research to help guide the Doctors in the right direction. (Keep in mind the Jack in the Box E-coli outbreak at this time had just started and most people were not aware of it yet.) Thank God because at that point I was on the verge of kidney failure and everything that could go wrong was going wrong.

After my 30 plus days in the hospital and ICU. I remember getting ready to leave ecstatic because it was the first time I was putting on my own clothes and tying my own shoes since I had been there. I missed a lot that year. My friends and Kindergarten, after I left the hospital I had to catch up at home until I was well enough to return to school. I only got back for the last month and a half.

On my road to recovery is when we found S.T.O.P for support. My Mom was very much involved, she was the president for a while. We even spoke in front of
congress to talk about meat laws. During her few years on the main committee at S.T.O.P we met many great people: Roni Rudolph Austin, Elaine Dodge, Nancy Donley, Mary Heersink, The Gallows, Reiner Mueller, Maury Povich and on goes the list. I love those people for their dedication and determination to make meat safe.

I've already had the tragedy of my life, and everyone only gets one. I've paid my dues. I only deal with school, car trouble and my parents now.

I'm here and understand what you've gone through or maybe what you are still going through.

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