Story Created:
Nov 3, 2009 at 10:27 PM CST
Story Updated:
Nov 3, 2009 at 10:27 PM CST
A Tea family has been dealing with a parents worst nightmare. A 2 year old boy came down with a fever which quickly kept climbing. Doctors determined the boy was suffering from bacterial meningitis. An infection that has now cost the boy his arms and legs.
Just last Tuesday Sharon Coffee was watching her grandson, Austin, when he began feeling ill with a fever and a high temperature of about 101 degrees. He also had nausea and body aches and pains. Sharon told us: "About 10'o'clock he said grandma will you come lay with me and I did and he was burning up."
Just a few hours later, after Austin's mom arrived home, his temperature spiked to 104 degrees. At that point, the family took Austin to the hospital. The next morning Austin's body was covered in what looked like a large red rash and later his limbs would begin to turn black. His grandmother couldn't believe what she was seeing. "I just about fainted. I had never in my life seen how anyone can be so healthy 8 hours before and that deadly sick."
Austin has a case of bacterial meningitis. It's something that he's likely had now for over a week, since it usually lays dormant for over a week before symptoms set in. There is a vaccination for meningitis and according to the website Voices For Meningitis, not everyone gets one. Austin had to be transported to Cincinnati for treatment where Tuesday he underwent a quadruple amputation.
Austin's grandma is happy her her grandson survived, but she wants others to avoid this terrible infection.
"We just want to let him live as normal of a life as he can and we accept him the way he is, but people should be aware of what's out there."
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