Brystol Scotter was diagnosed with strep back in the middle of May. It seemed like a standard strep diagnosis, but the recovery stretched on and on. After several weeks of feeling sick and weak and not being able to eat a whole lot, she went to the emergency room in Dell Rapids for abdominal pain. Some blood work was done, and she went home with a catheter to help with that pain. The next day, she was scheduled for a follow-up with her primary in the afternoon, but Jessica had trouble getting her to walk. The Primary Doctor encouraged Micah and Jessica to take Byrstol to the emergency room in Sioux Falls. After an MRI, they determined that there was an issue with her spinal cord. Brystol and Micah took CareFlight from Sioux Falls to Omaha last Thursday evening to be transferred to Nebraska Medical Center. Overnight, there were several visits from a multitude of different nurses and doctors, from neurology to infectious disease. On Friday, Brystol went in for several different tests, including an MRI, MRA, and a lumbar puncture. Because of the MRA, she was sedated for a total of 13 hours. She's had good moments through all this, especially when she got to eat after not eating for several days but this process has been painful as well.

This week, the family received the official diagnosis from Nebraska Medical Center. She has been diagnosed with Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD) which is a type of MS, just a different antibody. It is an auto immune disease that when she gets sick the white blood cells attack the body, in this case the mylan protecting her spinal cord, causing the inflammation. It is a condition that she will have the rest of her life but with modern medicine they have been mostly successful in keeping it suppressed so she can life a very normal childhood and life. There are possibilities of relapse so the family will have to watch closely for any future illnesses. The Scotters are feeling very lucky to have caught this this soon as it could have progressed all the way in to her brain. This condition also effects the optic nerves and could lead to loss of vision.

Brystol has begun her first infusion of something called IV IG. It is an infusion she is going to receive once a month for the next 6 months. She will be transferring to an inpatient rehab center in the coming days and start the road to recovery.

They don't necessarily need extra funds for medical bills; that's what insurance is for. The main reason for this fundraiser is to be able to pay bills and be there with Brystol at the hospital. Micah is the primary source of income in their household, and he has not been able to work throughout this. He and Jessica will continue to be at Brystol's side for several weeks as the treatment and healing process continues. With four children, one of them being a new baby, the financial implications of this are stressful. We want to help alleviate that burden so they can focus on Brystol and their family.