Silent Warrior: A Journey of Hope

One Christmas day, 1998, Kerri Oxoby had everything going for her—a new husband, a wonderful family, and the beginning of a career. All this changed with a snap decision to eat one bite of candy containing hazelnut extract, which brought on a life-threatening allergic reaction and a fight for her life. Silent Warrior: A Journey of Hope is the story of Kerri’s heroic, almost three-year battle to overcome the challenges brought on by anaphylactic shock and brain injury, as told by her mother, Shirley Oxoby, a guidance counselor with 20 years’ experience. From the first terrifying moments in the ICU to the daily struggles of in-home therapy and healing, the book chronicles Kerri’s journey to recovery despite resistance from the health care system, ongoing medical emergencies, the failure of insurance to address basic patient needs, and the painful setbacks that seemed to lie around every turn. In a gripping memoir that is at once heartbreaking and uplifting, Shirley Oxoby recounts her warrior daughter’s valiant struggle to return to her life, and demonstrates that there truly are no small miracles. It is a nonpolitical statement on the power of love and family.