K24 TV anchor Betty Kyallo emotionally narrated to how her four-year-old daughter Ivanna struggled with a rare auto-immune disease known as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
In an emotional Facebook post on Monday, December 30, 2019, she detailed the consternation occasioned by the onset of the disease, that according to the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, is characterised by a brief but widespread attack of inflammation in the brain and spinal cord that damages myelin – the protective covering of nerve fibers.
''One day my beautiful four-year-old daughter stopped walking, soon stopped talking, soon stopped eating soon was so drowsy couldn’t keep her eyes open and thereafter went into a deep coma that she had to be taken to ICU and put on life support for a whole month.''
She narrated that her daughter had been at the Nairobi Hospital for over a month undergoing tests, with doctors struggling to diagnose the disease.
''We did numerous tests looking at every organ and blood but for a long time of hospitalisation in Nairobi Hospital Children's Ward, we couldn't find it. All the while she kept deteriorating every day losing one function after another. ''
Eventually, she said while acknowledging the doctors who cared for Ivanna, they were able to identify the disease and get Ivanna the assistance and treatment she needed.
''As a mother, this was my lowest time. I was crushed every day seeing my daughter wasting away and couldn't do anything. I was depressed, cried silently sometimes hoping God would see my tears. I always feared to go to the ward or ICU because I wasn't sure what function she would lose the next day or hour.''
The anchor continued to narrate that her daughter made steady progress and she thanked her friends, doctors, family members, work colleagues and her partner for being by her side.
She credited her support system for ensuring her state of anxiety visible to the publish as she never missed a single show.
''I am happier, stronger, more courageous and grateful. Ivanna is GREAT. A LITTLE QUEEN. So please instead of anyone feeling sorry for me or my family kindly make an effort to support, visit, encourage anyone you know is sick or has a sick loved one in hospital/home," she concluded.
