The parents of a 14-year-old Tennessee boy were forced into a heart-wrenching decision in a desperate effort to save his life.
Mathias Uribe was rushed to Monroe Carrel Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt on June 30 after his flu-like symptoms developed into a deadly infection.
The teen was diagnosed with pneumonia and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome and soon went into full cardiac arrest.
To give his heart and lungs a chance to rest, Mathias was put on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine (ECMO) which kept his blood pumping through his body.
But the doctors soon realized his limbs were not getting enough blood and were forced to amputate them, his father said.
Catalina and Edgar Uribe gave doctors the go-ahead to amputate Mathias’s hands at the wrist and his legs from below the knee to keep the infection from spreading.
Nearly three months after the start of his order, the couple is hoping their son will soon be allowed to leave the hospital with a new set of prosthetic limbs.
Speaking to WKYT, Edgar Uribe said the family has been trying to reassure the 14-year-old: “I told him we are going to be your arms and legs until we figure all of this out.”
The head of Mathias’s care team, ICU pediatrician Dr. Katie Boyle, said the infection he caught was an “extremely rare” complication of the flu.
Dr. Boyle said: “Sometimes when you get the flu it does set you up for bacterial infection. But even then, most kids don’t get nearly as sick as Mathias did.”
She urged parents to have their children get their flu shots. She also said they should look out for symptoms like high fever, trouble swallowing fluids, or inability to wake up that would warrant a trip to the ER.
Mathias’s parents, who spoke of his love for cross-country racing and soccer, said he is expected to stay in hospital for another month after undergoing more than 12 operations.
They are already looking for facilities in Atlanta where the 14-year-old will be able to start rehabilitation and get prosthetics.
The family launched a GoFundMe page to cover the cost of his hospital stay and his future medical costs, raising more than $235,000 so far.
Mom Catalina insisted the boy is going to have “an amazing life” and will still be able to pursue his dreams.
She said: “You are going to go to MIGT. You are going to do whatever you want to do. You don’t have limits because you are here Mathias, you are here.”
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