Newly-Wedded Man Recovers from Polio-like Paralysing Disease

Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), according to Disease Control and Prevention, as of November 2018, there are 116 confirmed cases, more than 90% are children, spread across 31 states.   

Adam and Bridget Sporie, belonging to Wisconsin, newly wedded couple, a total of 15 days after their marriage, faced a critical situation.  They moved to the emergency room at Aurora St. Luke's medical center, could not swallow even the pills after crushing.  He lost his muscle control in his left arm, right shoulder, right arm, and neck with dropping face.   

Three months later, Adam Sporrie has been recovering from AFM, his wife, Bridget, first year teaching English at Pulaski High School.  He had difficulty in breathing initially when admitted to hospital.  Adam had regained motion in his left arm last month and now he can stand and walk without a neck brace.  His wife finds new hope each day and she is always by his bedside helping him.  She feels there is not enough research for this paralyzing illness. 

AFM patients suffer from paralysis in limbs and muscles, difficulty in swallowing and breathing.  The disease destroys cells that send messages from the spinal cord to the rest of the body but sparing the sensation of touch. 

The CDC had not given a specific treatment, neurologists may recommend physical or occupational therapy to reduce leg or arm weakness. It is opaque that how many people who lose muscle strength, can be able to recover them. 

About 10-20% people make a full recovery, but the majority of them fall in some type of paralysis, says Kennedy Krieger children's spine rehabilitation program.