Kaya E. Shepherd-Poppick was born to Elliot Shepherd and Jesse Poppick on November 9th, 1998.
Both her Mom and Dad, Jesse, were more than happy with her (early) arrival. Little did they all know, but
Kaya was born with a rare condition called Short Bowel Syndrome(SBS). Kaya was not able poop for the first seven weeks of her life. She was also unable to eat, as the Doctors were waiting for her to poop.

By the seventh week, Kaya had had an upper GI study done, which showed that her small intestine was very short(27cm). Kaya's SBS was not genetic but, in fact, totally random. She was kept alive by receiving her nutrition via a IV with TPN 24 hours a day. However, TPN can, and in Kaya's case did, cause liver disease. Kaya spent the next two months in the NICU at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City. Before Kaya left St. Vincent's, she had been to the OR many times, once the night she was born, and again for her Broviac line, a insetnal biopsy, and a laperotomy.

When Kaya was released from the hospital, she was on TPN 18 hours a day, and she and her Mom and Dad went directly to Pittsburgh Children's Hospital and then to University of Nebraska Medical Center to get listed for a small-bowel/liver transplant. Kaya is listed for a small-bowel/liver transplant at both hospitals. 

Kaya has her transplant, be sure to check her web page! 

http://home.earthlink.net/~jelb7869/