Savanna, Ohio:   Savanna was only 12 years old when her mother took her in for her regular check-up in November 2008. The doctor suggested Gardasil, and they both refused. Her mother had heard nothing negative about Gardasil, but cancer did not run in their family and Savanna was not sexually active; she saw no need for an extra jab for Savanna.

The doctor was not happy about their decision and spent the next fifteen minutes telling Savanna’s mom how terrible she would feel if Savanna contracted an HPV infection and/or cervical cancer when she could have been saved by a simple series of vaccinations.

Although still not comfortable with the limited knowledge they had at the time, Savanna and her mom decided to follow their doctor’s
advice.  Today, they would give anything in the world to take back that decision.

Savanna received three booster shots, a Gardasil injection and a dose of FluMist that day.

For the next few days, Savanna was feeling a little under the weather and had a high fever. Her mother thought that was to be expected
considering how many shots she had taken.

A week later, they were back in the doctor’s office because Savanna had a huge knot on her arm along with site pain. She was just generally
not feeling ‘right.’

Mom asked the intern if the knot was in the same arm as the Gardasil shot. The intern looked at her chart and said she believed so. But when the
doctor entered, she emphatically stated the Gardasil injection had been in the other arm. She and the intern then left the room for a ‘conference.’

While they were out, Savanna got teary-eyed and confessed to her mother that it felt like bugs were crawling under her skin. She was frightened, and
rightfully so. Mom had no idea what to tell her.

Savanna never received a second injection of Gardasil.

Over the next few weeks, she became worse. This young girl who loved going to school, would feel sick enough to text her mom from the bedroom
to say she couldn’t make it to classes, up to twice a week. The symptoms hit hard, fast, and without warning.

This young fan of horror movies, became too scared to watch them any more because they reminded her of the ‘bugs’ crawling under her
skin.

Summer arrived and she started passing out. Up until then, everyone thought she was going to be all right. Now, they were not so sure.

Since
then, Savanna’s list of symptoms has expanded to include vision problems, twitching, numbness, memory loss, trouble concentrating, confusion, brain fog (can’t find the right words), trouble breathing, sleep paralysis (can’t move upon first waking), hair loss, etc…

Savanna may not be able to always find the right words any more, but her mother can. She spends almost every waking moment trying to warn
people. Her mission is to make sure no one else has to watch their child go through the traumatic, life-changing events her daughter has.

Written by:  Norma Erickson, Vaccines
Examiner

Alexis, New Mexico:  Up until 2007, the only thing Alexis and her family had to worry about was that she had been diagnosed with type I diabetes a year before. Even with that, Alexis was a very happy, shy, well adjusted 13 year old young lady. She worked very hard in school and made the honor roll. She spent her spare time educating her classmates about type I diabetes.

Alexis was scheduled to visit her grandparents in Germany, but her parents were reluctant because of the diabetes. Her doctors assured her parents that Alexis was handling everything so responsibly that it should be perfectly safe for her to go. Everything looked good for Alexis.

Alexis had two of the three recommended Gardasil shots before she went to Germany to visit her grandparents. While she was in Europe, most everything went well. Her grandparents said she acted a little out of character, but nothing they thought serious.

After returning, her mother started noticing odd behavior. Alexis didn’t suffer from jet lag after her trip like they all had after their last trip to Germany. She had always been a very sensitive child, but she didn’t cry when their 12 year old dog died. Little changes that sometimes only a mother notices began to show up.

As time went on, her behavior became more bizarre. She was getting in trouble in school. Alexis was not able to concentrate or retain anything she learned. She went to every kind of doctor imaginable, but all tests came back “normal.’

Her personality changed 100%–Alexis was no longer herself. She would go into fits of rage, screaming and calling names. She swore she hated her family. She wanted to be taken to an orphanage and be adopted by another family.  Sound and movement bothered her. She said people’s faces made her sick to her stomach, even faces on the television. Doctors and school officials said she was just “testing her boundaries.” Her mother
knew something was seriously wrong.

Soon, she was not sleeping at all. She would spend her night time hours sitting up writing notes about things that never made sense. She became obsessed with food, eating anything she could get her hands on while the family slept. One day she stuck her tongue out and her mom noticed it looked almost like she had bitten off a chunk of it.

More visits to the doctor with no abnormal test results. Not knowing what else to test for, someone suggests a psychologist, thinking she may be having trouble accepting the diabetes. No one in the family thought that was the problem, but they agreed to try. After only two visits, the psychologist decided she was traumatized while on her trip to Europe. Alexis was put on antipsychotic drugs. They only made the problems worse. She began to vomit up everything she ate, and then couldn’t wait to eat more.

January 2008, she received her third shot of Gardasil. Then the nightmare really began. Things got much worse. She was still not sleeping at
all, vomiting up everything, binge eating, not to mention acting like a complete stranger to her family and friends.

Two weeks after the third shot, she was admitted to the hospital for a complete battery of tests. Still no diagnosis. No one knew what was wrong with this once healthy, happy girl. Not knowing what else to do, the doctors referred her to a Behavioral Unit.

While there, she was not allowed to be around any of the other children. She could only be in her room, or walk up and down a short hall. The staff had to be constantly instructed on how to handle her diabetic medication. She was given a bucket to vomit in. If she vomited, she was allowed no additional food. On the fourth day there, two nurses witnessed her eating the vomit from her bucket. After the fifth day, they said she was
‘stable’ and sent her home.

Alexis finally ended up in a Children’s Psychiatric Hospital. Nothing they gave her made her sleep; nothing they gave her could stop the vomiting. Finally, one morning when mom was visiting Alexis had an unusual episode that mom witnessed. She told the staff and an EEG was done. They discovered she was in fact having seizures that were all concentrated in her frontal lobe, the part of her brain that controls personality. All of this time, she had been having seizures and no one had noticed.

The next six months were spent going back and forth between two hospitals. Each ran every test they could possibly think of; tissue and fluid samples were sent all over the country. Everything came back normal. It was finally determined that Alexis had been exposed to a virus and her system created antibodies to attack the virus. These antibodies were now attacking her.

She had not been sick and had not shown any symptoms of a viral infection–not even a runny nose. The only virus she had been exposed to was in the Gardasil shots.

They also determined she had suffered brain damage from the seizures. This once proud honors student now tests at about a 4th grade level. To this day, she is unable to attend school. Her seizure activity remains almost constant, day and night.

Every day, new symptoms seem to pop up. She has numbness in her arms and legs, headaches, horrible pain, no bladder control, constipation, vision problems, memory loss, brain fog, chronic fatigue, leg cramps dizzyness, and on, and on, and
on…….

This beautiful little girl who showed so much promise may never be the same again. Her family is at the end of its rope. They know there is no explanation other than Gardasil.

This family is living a nightmare they desperately wish they could wake up from—unfortunately, it is real–very real.

Written
by:  Norma Erickson, Vaccines Examiner

Zeda, Indiana:  Two years ago, Zeda was a straight A student who totally enjoyed school. In addition to maintaining a nearly perfect academic record, she was actively involved in cheerleading and loved it.

She adored being outdoors, just hanging out with her friends. When she wasn’t with her friends, she was out with her two younger brothers and sister. If she wanted to chill out indoors, you could find her watching lifetime movies with mom. Family and friends were a huge part of her life.

Like many young girls, Zeda was never seen without her cell phone in her hands. She was always texting someone, going so  far as to text mom, while in the same room! In short, she was a normal, happy, all-American teenage girl who thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of her life, her family and her friends. Zeda’s future was bright, indeed.

Then, on November 5, 2008, Zeda went for a routine physical and was given her first injection of Gardasil. On November 28, she began to complain about feeling weak and having a headache. Since it was just after Thanksgiving, her mother thought she had just overdone the celebration.

The next morning, Zeda had a headache and stayed in bed all day. When she got up that afternoon, she had 2 seizures. Mom rushed her to the emergency room. She knew something was terribly wrong.

Within two short days of her first seizure, Zeda was totally unresponsive. She lost the ability to eat, speak, walk, or communicate in any way. A ventilator was the only way to keep her alive. Zeda spent the next four months of her life in an intensive care unit fighting for her very existence.

During her stay, it was determined that Zeda suffered from encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). All of the typical causes for this condition have been ruled out. Mom has been told by several doctors
that the condition could have been caused by the HPV vaccine, but they do not write their suspicions on her charts. Zeda never received a second shot of Gardasil.

Zeda is the oldest of four children. Her single mother is completely dedicated to her recovery. She has turned her living room into a makeshift hospital room. Mom is Zeda’s 24 hour a day caregiver. Nurses come in several times a week to check her progress. Zeda breathes through a tracheotomy tube. She is still bedridden and capable of only minimal movement. She is on a feeding tube for nourishment.

Two years after her only HPV vaccine injection, her mother and siblings spend their time hoping and praying for Zeda’s condition to improve. They
appreciate each good moment Zeda experiences, and do their level best to remain strong through the bad ones. Zeda’s family prays she doesn’t remain one less healthy teenager, one less sister, one less daughter and one less honor student.

Zeda’s mother has done her share of research and firmly believes Gardasil is reason for her daughter’s current condition. She believes parents must be made aware of the possible side effects to HPV vaccines before they decide to have their children receive the shots.

Written by Norma Erickson, Vaccines
Examiner

Nikki, Massachusetts:   The typical American teenager, Nikki  attended high school and was active in cheerleading and dance. She loved the social life, weekends with her friends at the mall and going to parties. Nikki had absolutely no health problems.

In her own words, “My life was perfect.”

Nikki was 16 when the Gardasil vaccine was first released. She had heard about cervical cancer and thought it was great to have the opportunity to be one of the first to be protected from its effects. She enthusiastically completed the entire series.

Then, her world turned upside-down. Shortly after her third shot, she was taking a nap after cheerleading practice and woke up with a severe muscle cramp in her right calf. That was only the beginning. The muscle spasms got progressively worse until she ended up in the emergency room with pain so severe it did not respond to medication injected directly into the muscle. She went home with a prescription for narcotics.

The muscle spasms turned into paralysis. The paralysis progressively increased until Nikki needed braces to walk. The pain was so severe, that
at one point she was being considered for a baclofen pump (a surgically implanted pump that delivers medication directly into the spinal cord).

The procedure was postponed after one of her many doctors diagnosed conversion disorder, medical terminology for ‘we can not find a
cause, so it must be the patient’s psychological response to stress.’

Nikki’s paralysis has now progressed to the point that she must wear a catheter and be confined to a wheelchair.

As if that isn’t enough, she also experienced gastro-intestinal problems, heart problems severe enough to put her in an intensive care unit,
ongoing dystonia, chronic pain, fainting spells, persistant vomiting, and unexplained weight loss.

This once active cheerleader has spent the last two years of her life in and out of emergency rooms and hospitals. They have tested her for
everything under the sun and have been unable to come up with any reason for her symptoms. She can no longer participate in any of the activities she used to love.

Nikki asked her story to be told because she never believed her life could change so drastically after a simple vaccination. Her wish is
to prevent other girls from going through what she has experienced.

Written by Norma Erickson, Vaccines Examiner

Felicia-Maine: Felicia was always the picture of health. She was actively involved in sports, but baseball was her
favorite. In fact, her team won the County Championship. That was before Gardasil.

In February of 2009, at the age of 16, Felicia received her first, and only, shot of the HPV vaccine Gardasil. Mom was with her in the room.

As they walked back into the reception area, Felicia said she “wasn’t feeling good,” and Mom assured her that she would be all right.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. Felicia passed out cold before she got the chance to take hold of her mother’s arm for support. Felicia had never reacted so violently to any previous vaccination. Her mom, shocked and very frightened, asked the nurses if this had ever happened before. They promptly assured her it had not. During the ride home, they decided Felicia would not take the other two recommended shots.

As it turned out, this was just the beginning of Felicia’s nightmare. That night she woke up feeling dizzy and tried to call out to her mom.
She was not able to do so. The incident lasted approximately 30 minutes.

A few days later, she again became dizzy, sick to her stomach, experienced numbness in one hand, and had stabbing pains in her stomach and
back. She began to experience seizure-like episodes and extreme fatigue. Prior to Gardasil, she regularly slept 6 to 7 hours a night and functioned quite well.

Seven months, several doctor visits and ’normal’ test results later, Felicia began to see some improvement. The doctors failed to see any connection between the sudden onset of these symptoms and the vaccine. Their opinion was ‘panic attacks,’ or anxiety. Mom knew better, nothing had ever phased her daughter.

Currently, Felicia’s dizziness isn’t so bad, the stomach and back pain are still there. New symptoms are showing up, though. She now has headaches, acne, and irregular menses. These are all things she had no problem with prior to taking that one shot of Gardasil.

Felicia’s mother is scared, she wakes up every morning wondering what will be next. She doesn’t want to see, or hear of another girl that has to
suffer the side effects of this vaccine.

Written by Norma Erickson, Vaccines Examiner

Ashlee, Texas: From the day she first started to walk, Ashlee was one of those rare individuals who accomplished anything she set her mind to.

By the first grade, she had developed a love for helping “special needs” children. She seemed to have an instinct for their needs and the children seemed respond to her even when they would respond to no one else. From first grade through Junior High, being a classroom assistant to these children was her pet project. She attended field trips with them and cheerfully went the extra mile to attend their birthday parties.

Ashlee was an honor student, active in extra-curricular activities such as cheerleading and student council. Her life seemed perfect. Then, at the age of 13, the first crack in her perfect world appeared. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Her dedication and drive would not let her surrender. She made adjustments and continued on. When the RA went into remission, she resumed her normal activities.

Then, in June 2009, just before her 15th birthday, she went for a routine medical exam. The nurse practitioner suggested the Gardasil vaccine. Her mother remembered hearing the commercials, but had never considered it. She expressed concern regarding possible side effects of the vaccine, because of Ashlee’s RA, and was told it was “harmless.”

When mom said, “If there is a side effect to be had, SHE will have it,” the nurse practitioner indicated the only possible side effect would be a rash, or reddening, at the injection site. Knowing Ashlee had never experienced an adverse reaction to vaccines in the past and trusting the medical advice–mom agreed, thinking she was doing a wonderful thing for her child–protecting her!

Within 20 to 30 minutes, the nightmare began. Ashlee began feeling nauseated and light-headed. She went to lay down and was not able to get up for the next 4 days. She ran a fever, had terrible body aches, numbness along the left side of her neck and shoulder on the injection site side, extreme dizziness (to the point of blacking out when she tried to stand), headaches, vomiting and diarrhea.

Her mother immediately called the doctor, suspecting the vaccine. She was assurred that it was not possible and told Ashlee ‘must have picked up a bug’ while in the office.

After 4 days, the fever began to subside and Ashlee felt a little better. The vomiting and headaches continued. Ashlee was scheduled to spend the summer with her father, but during the visit, the symptoms continued. She could not hold down food and was not getting any better. Her mother had to bring her home after only 4 weeks. The vomiting continued to get worse and Ashlee began to experience severe pelvic pain.

After only 8 days at home, Ashlee had to be taken to the emergency room. She was diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and sent home with three prescriptions she was unable to keep down.

Another trip to the hospital, Ashlee was admitted for 5 days with IV antibiotics to try and control the PID. After an endescope, catscan, MRI and HIDA scan, that all came back ‘normal,’ Ashlee was again sent home. This time with an appointment for a colonoscopy at a later date.

It has been 9 months now, and Ashlee still vomits every day. Sometimes she goes up to 8 days without being able to hold down as much as a saltine cracker. This once vibrant, alive and caring person sleeps all the time and suffers from severe depression because she can no longer do the things she loves. She is currently in counseling because of her thoughts of suicide.

Ashlee only had one of the recommended three Gardasil shots.

Her mothers words: “I am a Gardasil mom. I hate that title. Where I used to worry about my daughter getting a cavity, I now worry if she will live through this at all! No one should have to go through
this!!”

Written by Norma Erickson, Vaccines Examiner

Sami, U.S.A.

Sami, an honor student prior to her experience with Gardasil, loves living in Florida where she can take advantage of everything the Sunshine state has to offer. Theme parks were frequently the highlight of her weekends. She loved to go to Sea World, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventures and Bush Gardens where she could ride all the attractions over and over again with her mother. Now, that is no longer an option.

Sami had multiple health problems prior to receiving Gardasil including, type II diabetes, multiple allergies,  Blount’s disease and polycystic ovary syndrome. Nevertheless, she lead an active, normal life. All of that changed when she was 14 and received her first shot of Gardasil along with a flu vaccine. Within hours, she was vomiting, feverish and had terrible headaches. She was bedridden for three weeks. When the doctor was questioned about the symptoms, Mom was told, “She must have received a bad flu shot.” Sami continued on with the Gardasil series.

Her list of adverse reactions continued to grow. Sami experienced amenorrhea (no periods since her first shot (over 2 years ago),
peripheral neuropathy in both feet, loss of peripheral vision in her left eye, complicated migraines with neurological auras, severe sleep apnea and paralysis of both legs. At one point, a teacher at her school (also an EMT) found her unconscious, with no pulse, and revived her.

Sami has been taken to multiple medical specialists since taking the Gardasil vaccine. MS, neurological defects, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and brain tumor have all been ruled out as possible causes of her symptoms.

Every day, Samantha’s mother wonders if her child will survive to see another dawn. She wonders how a person prepares themself when they feel their child is dying. She wonders if it is even possible to prepare. Her message to parents who are considering the HPV vaccine for their children: “Guard your children against Gardasil.”

Written by Norma Erickson, Vaccines Examiner

Ashley Ryburn (Colorado)

I want to introduce you to Ashley. She was 15 at the time of her first shot and she is now 16. Here is what her mother has to say about her daughter. “I am a single mother and have dedicated my life to providing a safe, fun loving environment for my daughter. She has been a gift in my life.

I describe her as having an old soul. People of all ages, race, disabled, even animals connect with her. She has always attracted attention from everyone even complete strangers. Ashley will immediately help anyone in need. From holding open a door, to standing up for a child being picked on.

People in our community always tell me what a great job I have done raising her.” “Ashley has always been involved in extra curricular school activities and has always received top grades. My healthy teenage daughter became a chronically ill young woman. In the last year I have called 911 more  times than I can count. She has been hospitalized three times within a year.

We have seen many doctors and specialists who have done many tests multiple times all to be within normal limits. Ashley experiences life threatening episodes of seizure like activity, difficulty breathing, major back spasms, paralysis, dehydration, memory loss and tremors and she becomes unresponsive. She has daily illnesses of nausea, exhaustion, vomiting, pain and hair loss. I have provided CPR and life saving skills on a regular basis”

“Ashley and I have had conversations in the event she may die. I can only promise her that I will do everything in my power for this not to happen and that we need to focus on healing. I never thought in a million years a vaccine would do this much damage to my beautiful girl. I stay strong for my daughter.

I keep faith in knowing God doesn’t put more on our shoulders than we can handle. As a mother, I also feel the responsibility to get Ashley’s story out there so we can help other families.” “Now she is ill – her life is dealing with daily symptoms and hoping for a day without a life threatening episode.”

Nora Kenny (Illinois)

See letter from Nora’s mom

“Nora has always been a great kid—she’s the oldest of our 3—a 16 year brother, Jack and a 15 year-old sister, Sally.  Nora was an honor role student her entire high school career, a 3 sport athlete until her senior year where she only played basketball and softball.  She was named all academic-all conference for each sport she played. She has always made friends easily and enjoys the things that most girls her age do.  She started working as a hostess at a local Red Lobster in the spring of her Junior year and was promoted to waitress last summer.  She attends the University of Illinois at Champaign and plans to major in Kinesiology.”

“I am very proud of Nora and I feel very badly that I agreed to have her receive Gardasil.  She asked me the other day why we didn’t know of its potential harm….I had no good answer.”

“Nora is now taking seizure medication.  There is no family history of seizures.” 

“She received her first shot June 16, 2008 and fainted June 21, 2008.  My husband and I were at a friend’s house for dinner.  At about 7:30pm, our youngest daughter called to say something was wrong with our 18 year old daughter Nora, and that the ambulance was taking her to the ER. 

She received her second shot August 19, 2008 and had the seizures September 2, 2008.  I got a phone call from a young woman who lives on the same floor in the same dorm as Nora to let me know that Nora had had a seizure.”

Theresa Bohn
- Age 21 (Marlborough, Massachusetts)

Prior to Gardasil, I had no previous known illnesses or behavioral issues, except for an occasional migraine headache.

I had no complications whatsoever with IUD or menstrual cycle until after I had my first Gardasil shot (Lot 1758U) on April 28, 2008  – IUD removed October 2008.  My second Gardasil vaccination (Lot  0651X) was on January 8, 2009 and I had this along with a tetanus shot.  My symptoms include: 30 lbs unexplained weight loss and my hair falling out in clumps and migraines.  I experienced sudden sharp pains all over my body, which are most intense in my head, abdomen and legs.

Earaches and frequent ear popping with pain and stiffness in elbows, knees, wrists and ankles and a numbness in my face including lips, nose and cheeks;  pressure in sinuses, stiffness and tightening in my neck.  I have had vision problems including double vision, blurred vision, light auras, difficulty focusing and pain/pressure in and around my eyes.

Frequent muscle spasms all over and a weakness/numbness/tingling in arms and pains in legs.  Have experienced weak to no reflexes in my left elbow and right knee and have had chest pains and tightness.  Sharp shooting pains in pelvic area/vaginal areas.  Also my menstrual cycle has been irregular and heaviness with pain in lower back. Cramps/Charlie horses in legs and feet and also cold hands and feet and also experiencing tremors in my legs.  Severe anxiety issues, causing my heart to race/blood pressure to increase; anger and irritability issues. I am unable to concentrate for any length of time.  The sensation to urinate comes on strong and it feels like I am going to lose control and am left with
a feeling of incomplete urination.

Diagnosis:  An X-ray showed my spine is straightening and CT scan showed my intestine is swollen.  I have received no exact diagnosis as yet.  I am to receive an MRI of my brain and neck (cervical) in August 2009 and shortly afterwards I am scheduled to see a Neurologist.

Gardasil has completely changed my life. Before Gardasil, I never had a pain that I could not explain. For a year now I have been in and out of doctors offices desperately searching for an answer. I am no longer able to perform my job the way I used to.  Before Gardasil, I was enrolled in college with a 4.0 and now I cannot even finish a book I am just trying to enjoy. I feel like I am not giving my son and fiancé the time they deserve from me, because I am too tired, in too much pain, or because I am at the doctor’s office. I just want to be myself again and enjoy every moment of being a mom, but everyday it feels like I am falling further away from the “old me” or the “me before

Gardasil.”

(Email address:  theresa182@gmail.com)