He's home! Update on Noah Sweeney (4 photos)
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 by: Connie Carello
Look who’s back home, thanks to your help!
A very happy Noah Sweeney has come home to be with his even happier family in Sault Ste. Marie.
He and his twin brother, Nathan, who are 19-months old, are playing together again in their own home after Noah spent seven months under observation and rehabilitation in Toronto for a rare condition known as Transverse Myelitis.
As reported earlier by SooToday.com, Noah Sweeney was rushed to Toronto Sick Kids Hospital after the then 10-month old suddenly went limp in his father's arms last spring.
A benefit organized in the Sault for Noah and his family helped ease some of the financial and emotional burden of splitting a family in two to care for the twins in seperate cities and Noah set out on his long road to recovery.
Although he has experienced some setbacks, Noah has progressed very well through his time in Toronto and his subsequent treatments and therapies back in the Sault.
Noah was finally able to return to the Sault on August 2 and spent the holidays with close family and loved ones.
For now, Noah is well cared for by his parents and a series of PED’s nurses who mother Jenn Zuccato refers to as nothing short of the word wonderful, “The Sault Area Hospital has been amazing. We can ask questions and they are always trying to help. The PED’s nurses on the first floor treat Noah very well and we are sincerely appreciative of all their efforts.”
“Doctors informed us that there are three stages to recovery from Transverse Myelitis,” Sweeney said,
“The first is no recovery at all. The second is partial, and the third is a full-recovery. These end-results are usual identified after the first year. For now, Noah is doing physiotherapy, still smiling, and is as happy as ever. He has regained little movement in his legs which has led us to believe that he has recovered partially.”
There is a possibility for Noah to bounce back from this however, as there is much more research that needs to be done on the causes and course of Transverse Myelitis.
For now, the family could not be happier to spend the evening watching television together, reunited as a family after a tremendously life-altering moment.
“All the continued support through Facebook messages, emails, texts, have been a great emotional support for us during a time that really was overwhelming. We could not have been able to make the transition from here to Toronto and back again without the support from the community,” Zuccato said, “we would really like to thank them for making it possible for Noah to return home.”
In addition to the SAH, Noah's dad, Brain Sweeney, along with Zuccato had a long list of thanks to extend to the community.
The couple wished to express their thanks to the community and all of the local businesses for their contributions and participation in a benefit hosted in honour of their son last May, “We really want to thank the community, the local business, the friends and family, and all the people behind us, who offered their continual support, love, and prayers, donations – we would not have been where we are today without this generosity” Sweeney said.
Since the benefit, Noah’s condition has slightly improved.
He will soon be fitted for a walking aid, so that he can attend physiotherapy to be taught how to walk.
He has been equipped with a Trach Tube to assist with breathing if he does need assistance in drawing in a breath.
However, over time, Noah should be able to breathe independently.
He is currently fed by a G-Tube, which is medical device that delivers food directly to the stomach and is commonly used for patients unable to absorb nutrition by mouth.
In six months, Noah will return to Toronto for a follow-up appointment.
