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Rare complication leaves Medina teen paralyzed

Isabel Kirby has not walked since Christmas.

AKRON, Ohio — Isabel Kirby got just what she wanted for Christmas--a new TV.

Then, within a few hours, she got the biggest surprise of her life.

“My legs started hurting really bad like for like 5 minutes straight and just felt really bad and then they went numb,” Kirby said. “And then like I couldn’t walk.”

The next day, the active 13-year-old from Medina was at Akron Children’s, getting an MRI. It revealed a condition called “acute flaccid myelitis,” or AFM, which had paralyzed the lower half of her body.

The condition could potentially be permanent.

“Like, really random, like out of the blue,” is how Kirby described it. “I just hope for the best and prepare for the worst.”

A 7th grade student at Cloverleaf Middle School, Kirby has been handling the situation with grace beyond her years.

“She’s stronger than I am,” said her father, Bret Kirby. “I don’t show it when I’m around her, but she’s definitely stronger than I am.”

Doctors say the condition is extremely rare and that little is known about it.

“One in a million-ish,” said Dr. Eric Robinette, an infectious disease expert at Akron Children’s. “We have about 100 cases a year in the United States of the acute flaccid myelitis complication of this virus.”

“Adults can get it, but really most of the cases have been reported in children,” said Dr. Matthew Ginsberg, a Neurologist at Akron Children’s. “Children seem to have some kind of unique susceptibility.”

Kirby has received steroids and plasma and plans to go home on the 27th.

She is hopeful this will all be temporary and determined to walk again.

Doctors say it could be months, even years, before she knows for sure if that is possible.

A GoFundMe page has been created to help Isabel's parents cover out-of-pocket medical expenses. Click here for details. 

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