One Year Later: From Crisis to Comeback

February 11th will always be a date etched into our hearts.

One year ago, our son Krish entered the hospital — and our lives changed overnight.

The week before, he had a cough. We took him to the doctor and were told everything looked fine and no antibiotics were needed. A week later, on Monday, he seemed unusually tired and agitated, going to bed around 5:30 PM. I checked on him every hour that night. Before I went to sleep around 10 PM, I gave him ibuprofen for a headache.

The next morning, he woke up crying in severe pain. He rated his headache a 10 out of 10. I gave him more ibuprofen and took him back to the doctor at 9:45 AM. This time, she prescribed antibiotics for his cough.

That afternoon around 2:45 PM, I went to check on him and offer to rub magnesium on him. That’s when I noticed his lips smacking.

He was having a seizure.

I immediately called for help. An ambulance was sent, medication was administered, and we were transported to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Peter was in the air at the time, so Riaan and I rode in the fire truck.

When Peter landed, he came straight to the hospital.

We were placed in a room around 11 PM. At 3 AM, I heard the lip smacking again. I pulled the emergency cord and the team rushed in. After more medication, we were moved to the ICU.

Around 5 AM, Krish had a prolonged seizure that lasted nearly an hour — captured on EEG as it monitored his brain waves. Because of the intensity of the seizures and the medications required, he was intubated to keep him safe.

Soon after, we received a diagnosis:
ADEM — Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis.

A rare inflammatory condition of the brain that affects roughly 1 in 250,000 people.

Krish entered the hospital on 2/11.
He began inpatient rehab on 2/21.
He was discharged on 3/12.

During those 30 days, once he was medically stable, he had to relearn how to wake up, walk, talk, swallow, and eat solid foods again.

Watching your child fight for skills they once had is something no parent can prepare for.

Inpatient rehab became our new normal. Physical therapy. Occupational therapy. Speech therapy. Small victories that felt monumental.

The doctors told us the cognitive recovery piece for ADEM can take up to a year to return to baseline.

And here we are — one year later.

Krish is walking.
He’s talking.
He’s eating.
He’s laughing.
He’s competing.

He is doing so much better.

There are still pieces of recovery that take patience. Healing from brain inflammation isn’t a sprint — it’s a marathon. But if you know Krish, you know he is a fighter. His competitive spirit has carried him further than we ever imagined in those early ICU days.

This past year has reshaped our family in ways we’re still unpacking.

It deepened our faith.
It strengthened our resilience.
It reminded us what truly matters.

And it showed us the power of community.

To everyone who prayed, checked in, placed orders, supported our business, and carried us through that month — we will never forget it.

Original Elderberry Co. continued during the hardest season of our lives because of you.

One year later, we are filled with gratitude.

From crisis to comeback — this is Krish’s story.

And we are so thankful you’re part of ours.

❤️