Quinn - The Diagnosis

Dad and Quinn in the Emergency Room

Quinn exploring his new IV

Grandma and a tired Quinn getting ready to go have an MRI

Our lives took an unexpected turn on Wednesday December 30, 2009 when Quinn was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, an inflammatory condition that affects his spinal cord. He began presenting symptoms on Wednesday morning and we were instructed to take him to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis by our pediatrician. Quinn's limps were limp and he was unable to sit up, turn over, or stand. Quinn was evaluated in the Emergency Department and had blood work, a spinal tap, and a brain and spine MRI. We knew something wasn't right when the pediatric neurologist came to talk to us before Quinn was out of the MRI. He took us back to the imaging viewing room and together with the radiologist, they showed us the inflammation in Quinn's spinal cord. Tranverse Myelitis can result from 3 things: a tumor (this was ruled out in Quinn's case), a blood clot or blockage in the blood supply to the spinal cord (also ruled out), and post-infection inflammation (this is what caused Quinn's condition). The infection that caused the inflammation could be something a simple as the common cold virus or it may be an adverse reaction to the H1N1 booster shot Quinn recieved on December 22. We will never know what caused it as there is no test that can determine that. Quinn's spinal cord is affected from C2 - T6, which is a fairly large section of cord. Quinn is also the youngest patient by far that the neurologists have seen with TM, the youngest before him being about 10 years old. We were admitted to Children's that night to start a 5 day course of high-dose steroids with the hope that this will stop the spread of the inflammation. The treatments are not painful and only last for about 30-45 minutes. They are administered via IV and Quinn is usually sleeping when they give them to him. He does have an increased appetite and sleeps a little more than usual, but other than that he has no other significant side-effects. We are uncertain as to what the future holds for Quinn at this time. People with TM generally fall into one of three categories: no improvement, some improvement, complete recovery. Whatever happens, Quinn will always be loved and have all the support in the world from Chris and I and the rest of our family and friends.