Fox Nashville Stella Martin
A 4-year-old girl is paralyzed after the diagnosis of acute transverse myelitis, a rare neurological disorder that affects the spine, as a result of the contraction of the new coronavirus.
Stella Martin was rushed to the San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, New Mexico, in April 2020, after complaining to her mother about back pain, according to KOAT.
Her mother, Cassandra Yazzie, told the news station that Stella soon went limp in her arms and had to be flown to the UNM Hospital in Albuquerque.
There, Stella was diagnosed with the new coronavirus and acute transverse myelitis, said Yazzie.
Doctors believe that Stella’s antibodies began to attack her spinal cord, causing inflammation, KOAT reported.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, transverse myelitis is an inflammation of the spinal cord that often damages the insulating material that covers the fibers of nerve cells.
The disorder disrupts the messages that spinal cord nerves send throughout the body, causing pain, muscle weakness, sensory problems, bladder and bowel dysfunction or paralysis.
Stella, whose father died of complications related to COVID-19 after she was admitted to the hospital, spent eight months at UNM before being discharged on Monday.
In a video shared by UNM Health Sciences on Facebook this week, Stella was taken out of the hospital under a round of applause from medical professionals.
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“After a severe attack with COVID-19, Stella Martin, 4 years old, is leaving the UNM Hospital. Stella came to the hospital in April after contracting COVID-19. She spent more than 5 months in the Pediatric ICU and arrived at CTH Acute Service in October, where she would celebrate her fourth birthday, “said UNM Health Sciences in the post.
“We celebrate her recovery and the hard work and dedication of our healthcare team that works tirelessly to help patients like her.”
Yazzie told KOAT that Stella is recovering strength in her arms and legs, although doctors have said that she is unlikely to fully recover.
“I just want everyone to be safe, not to take COVID lightly,” she said, “because it is affecting my daughter a lot.”
A GoFundMe campaign was created to support Stella. As of Friday, it raised more than $ 5,000 from its $ 50,000 goal.
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