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Ed Yeates ReportingA former 12-year old Utah girl is still feeling the effects of a bizarre disease that almost took her life four years ago. The symptoms mimic chicken pox; in fact, that's what doctors originally thought she had.
Take a close look at Lauren Davis. The scars on her legs and arms are remnants of a pox like disease she once had.
Cory Davis, Lauren's Dad: "It just exploded. It continued to break out and almost got to the point where she was having breakouts one on top of another."
Though mimicking chicken pox, it was actually a disease called PLEVA. Lauren's complications resembled only 23 other reported cases in the US.
Cory Davis: "Her disease progressed to where she was septic. She had infection throughout her bloodstream, through her whole body."
Lauren ended up at Primary Children's Hospital, eventually in ICU, in an induced coma and near death. When she finally recovered, classmates at her school, Creekside Elementary, celebrated.
Lauren now lives in Arizona, but during a visit to Salt Lake, she stopped by Primary Children's and the University of Utah to see those again who saved her life.
She looks and feels great, but still takes an immunosuppressant medicine to hold this bizarre condition in check.
Cory Davis: "She still has a very mild case of the disease, and she still does get small breakouts."
Even though in small doses, no one knows what would happen if Lauren stopped taking the medicine.
Lauren Davis: "It could happen really big again, as big as it did before, if I stopped. Or it could continue what it's doing now in just little ones. Or it could possibly completely stop."
Though her villain four years ago left some bad memories, Lauren says good ones now - full of hope - far outweigh them.
Doctors in Arizona encourage Lauren to go outside since the sun has a healing effect on those small breakouts.
