Shortly after giving birth, ER nurse Lisa Speckman found herself fighting a life-and-death battle against Streptococcus pyogenes – Strep A. Her strep chose three destructive paths: It settled in the muscle and connective tissue in her abdominal wall, creating large abscesses. It triggered toxic shock. It choked off circulation to her limbs.
Judges’ Comments: A beautifully rendered account of a catastrophic event. The reporters constructed a compelling narrative of Lisa Speckman’s long and devastating ordeal from group A streptococcal infection after the birth of her child.