Sophia Garabedian, The 5-Year-Old Sudbury Girl Diagnosed With EEE, Has Been Released From Spaulding
SUDBURY (CBS) – Five-year-old Sophia Garabedian, who has been battling Eastern Equine Encephalitis since early September, is finally home.
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Sophia's family said she has reached a major milestone and was released from Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital on Friday.
Garabedian was rushed to the hospital on Sept. 3 after experiencing flu-like symptoms, headaches and suffering a possible seizure. Family members say she had a high fever, brain swelling and was unresponsive. Three days later, Garabedian was diagnosed with EEE.
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Her parents say Sophia has a long road ahead of her, but she will continue her rehabilitation at home.
"Over the past month we have experienced one of the most difficult challenges of our lives. However, at the same time we have also felt the incredible love and support for Sophia and our family as we have gone through it," the Garabedian family said in a statement. "Sophia has been so courageous through this entire ordeal and made enormous progress from those terrifying first hours and days to waking up, breathing on her own, first words and steps and now at a point where she can go home."
Her family said that Sophia will continue to work on increasing her mobility and cognitive issues, such as her long term memory. Friends of the family have organized a GoFundMe page to help the family with medical costs.
Twelve people in the state have been diagnosed this summer.