Sam Tullis -Acute Flaccid Paralysis
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At 10 years old, Sam is quite an accomplished athlete: he has completed over 85 triathlons , he is a 3-time Georgia state champion cyclist, a Georgia state swimming qualifier, and runs a 19:00 5K. At the end of August, 2014 Sam checked off his goal poster a major accomplishment when he won the IronKids Triathlon National Championship in Des Moines, Iowa.
Unfortunately, Sam brought home more than a medal from Iowa. One week after the race, Sam came down with a respiratory virus, later determined to be Enterovirus. In and out of Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, he fought the respiratory infection, including viral pneumonia and an inflamed upper airway, for 3 ½ weeks. Almost immediately Sam was stricken with intense pain, tingling and subsequent numbness in his legs. Sam's condition worsened and finally his legs became so weak that he succumbed to a bright yellow pediatric wheelchair.
The medical term that one would use for Sam’s affliction is Acute Flaccid Paralysis. In reality, the medical tests do not show any lesions in his spinal cord and tests for demyelination have been negative. Translated: there is HOPE that Sam may make a full recovery. Since Halloween, Sam has been in the hospital in in-patient rehab. The scariest part is that we really do not know what we are facing – since this is something new, the future is uncharted. Your donations will help Sam and his family navigate this frightening and uncertain future.
Follow Sam's journey on his CaringBridge site:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/samtullis
For more information on Enterovirus, Acute Flaccid Paralysis and this mysterios polio-like syndrome affecting other kids across the country, check this out:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6340a6.htm?s_cid=mm6340a6_w
Unfortunately, Sam brought home more than a medal from Iowa. One week after the race, Sam came down with a respiratory virus, later determined to be Enterovirus. In and out of Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, he fought the respiratory infection, including viral pneumonia and an inflamed upper airway, for 3 ½ weeks. Almost immediately Sam was stricken with intense pain, tingling and subsequent numbness in his legs. Sam's condition worsened and finally his legs became so weak that he succumbed to a bright yellow pediatric wheelchair.
The medical term that one would use for Sam’s affliction is Acute Flaccid Paralysis. In reality, the medical tests do not show any lesions in his spinal cord and tests for demyelination have been negative. Translated: there is HOPE that Sam may make a full recovery. Since Halloween, Sam has been in the hospital in in-patient rehab. The scariest part is that we really do not know what we are facing – since this is something new, the future is uncharted. Your donations will help Sam and his family navigate this frightening and uncertain future.
Follow Sam's journey on his CaringBridge site:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/samtullis
For more information on Enterovirus, Acute Flaccid Paralysis and this mysterios polio-like syndrome affecting other kids across the country, check this out:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6340a6.htm?s_cid=mm6340a6_w
Organiser
Josh Tullis
Organiser
Auburn, AL
