Dreier Pharmacy Gift Shoppe and Boutique in Shawano is extra special to Tansy Lederhaus.
Her book “43 Days” is available at the local business, but the store is also the first location to carry the new illustrated version of the book that tells of her survival, strength and resilience in coming back from a traumatic car crash more than two decades ago.
“Dreier’s is exactly the kind of small town, locally-owned business that makes a community feel like home,” Lederhaus said. “It’s a pharmacy, yes, but it’s also so much more than that. Step inside, and you’ll find an incredible gift shop filled with all kinds of treasures, unique finds and things you didn’t know you needed until you saw them. “
Shawano is a neighboring city to her hometown of Clintonville, so having “43 Days” make its way into a locally-owned business in a community so close to home feels especially fitting, she said.
In June 2002, Lederhaus and her best friend, Sarah Severson, were involved in a car-and-semi crash near Clintonville. Severson did not survive.
Lederhaus, 17 at the time, clung to life. Her injuries required her to be taken by ThedaStar to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah.
At the hospital, imaging revealed she suffered two fractured femurs (thigh bones), a ruptured spleen and a grade five liver laceration — a severe, life-threatening injury involving extensive damage to the liver. Her liver bled profusely.
“It required repeat treatments to try to get it to stop bleeding,” Lederhaus said. “I required more than 100 units of blood products in order to survive.”
The book is based on her father’s journal of the time she spent in the hospital.
“From the moment I decided to turn my story into a book, I knew I wanted to include photos as well,” she said. “Once I finished writing, I felt like I had painted an accurate picture of my experience. After I published and some of my friends and family read it, they questioned why I hadn’t included photos. That was all I needed to decide to finally include photos in an illustrated edition of ‘43 Days.’”
Writing “43 Days” turned out to be a form of therapy Lederhaus didn’t know she needed.
“I had read my dad’s journal and paged through my photo album hundreds of times, but reflecting on each of his entries and adding my memories and thoughts was truly therapeutic,” she said.
The selection of Dreier’s as a sales outlet was intentional.
“One of my dearest high school friend’s moms works at Dreier’s,” Lederhaus said. “She actually suggested it to me a while ago, and I loved the idea of having my book in a store in a city with such close affiliations to Clintonville. I love the unique combination of a pharmacy which ties in to my medical background, while also having an incredible and expansive boutique. I thought it would be a good addition to their store.”
She continues to donate blood as often as possible.
“I’ve personally donated just over 60 units of blood. I recently received my 7-gallon pin,” she said. “I will continue to donate blood every eight weeks as long as my body lets me. My goal is to give back at least part of what I received.”
She has received several messages from people who’ve read her book — people who knew her parents, people who remember the crash and even complete strangers.
“I love hearing that they couldn’t put it down, it left an impact on them or it made them emotional,” Lederhaus said. “I love hearing that they scheduled a blood donation and donated for the first time.”
In addition to Drier’s, “43 Days” is available online at https://shop43days.com.
It’s also available at the very location where the story takes place, the gift shop at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah. The book can also be found at Down Home on Main in Clintonville, Lyons Fine Books in Neenah and online through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
Tansy Lederhaus stands in front of Dreier’s Pharmacy in downtown Shawano with her book “43 Days.” It chronicles her time in the hospital following a life-threatening crash in 2002. The Shawano store is the first to carry an illustrated version of the book. (Contributed)
Tansy Lederhaus spent 43 days in the hospital recovering from a life-threatening crash in 2002 that also killed her best friend. Lederhaus’ book, “43 Days” is based on her father’s journal of her time in the hospital. An illustrated version of the book is now available at Dreier’s Pharmacy in downtown Shawano. (Contributed)
