Illness Leaves Baby Paralyzed

A 9-month-old Pueblo baby boy was paralyzed after suffering from a rare illness. His family is praying for his health, but the road to recovery won?t be easy.

Holly Martin spends her days talking to customers and stocking shelves at Vitamin Cottage in Pueblo. Her smile easily hides her pain.

“It’s really hard,” said Martin.

The hard times started three weeks ago. Her now-9-month-old son, Cameron, was rushed to a hospital with a fever.

“We took him to the emergency room, my husband and I, and within two hours we found he had telescoping intestine,? said Martin.

Cameron was transferred to Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, where the news just got worse.

“They did a spinal tap because his top of his head was bulging, found out he had meningitis,” said Martin.

He was in the hands of doctors, but the little guy was still not getting better.

“A few days later, they did a CT and an MRI and found swelling in his spine and diagnosed him with transverse myelitis,” said Martin.

His body was attacking his nervous system. Cameron was just learning to walk when the illness left him paralyzed.

?I do believe he is going to be OK,? said Martin.

Cameron is now being treated at a Denver hospital.

“The little things, like knowing he moved his arm, moving his legs, that just gets me through the day,” said Martin.

He?s doing much better.

“He might have a slight to extreme disability that can cause a limp or a weakness in his arms. We have just been praying.” said Martin.

She?s praying for her holiday wish to come true.

“That is our Christmas wish, for him to come home,” said Martin.

The bills are piling up for the Martins, with insurance only covering a portion of Cameron?s medical needs.

Family and friends of the Martins will be hosting a fundraiser for the family. A spaghetti dinner will be held Dec. 13 at the Praise Assembly of God gym from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are $7. For more information or to donate, send an email to babycameronfund@yahoo.com.