Oct 15, 2009 7:25 pm US/Eastern
Girl Hospitalized 3 Months With H1N1 Goes Home
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
It's a big day for 8-year-old Cameron Pirozzi from Palm Beach Gardens.
After battling the H1N1 virus for three months at three different hospitals, Cameron was released Thursday from the Holtz Children's Center at Miami's Jackson Memorial just in time to celebrate her birthday this weekend. "I am happy because it's the first time I get to see my little brother in three in a half months" said Cameron to roomful of reporters, doctors and therapists at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Cameron's mom, Kelly Pirozzi, said it all began June 27th when her daughter developed a cough and ran a 105 degree fever. Pirozzi said Cameron went into respiratory failure and was placed on a ventilator. She was sedated for more than six weeks and was considered a candidate for a heart-lung bypass. "she couldn't move she couldn't sit up, she could only roll 30 percent to either side she could only raise her hands a little bit but she couldn't move her legs at all" said Pirozzi as she sat next to Cameron holding her hand.
On September 3rd, Cameron was admitted to Jacksons Child & Adolescent Rehabilitation Unit unable to speak, talk, walk and eat.
"I remember in the summer I had a bad cough so I stayed home I remember waking up one morning and feeling very hot I could barely keep my eyes open that's when we went to the hospital" said Cameron
After a month and a half of daily intensive care from the rehabilitation team at Jackson, Cameron was able to walk, eat and move once again. "Imagine watching your child learn how to do it all over again and struggle to do it, the pride we feel and how she has worked every minute of every day since she got sick to come to us" said Pirozzi.
Cameron will be going home but before she does the 8 year old Palm Beach Gardens third grader has a message for all "Many people think about it and they think it can't happen to me, but it happen to anyone" said Cameron.
Cameron is expected to make a full recovery, according to her doctors, and will continue outpatient rehabilitation in Palm Beach County.
Cameron says she's looking forward to playing with her 4-year-old brother Callahan who is currently with relatives in New Jersey. On Saturday she'll turn 9-years-old but they won't have a party until the following weekend when her brother can be there. Cameron says she's really anxious to get back to her school St. Marks and see all her friends who have been sporting blue bracelets inscribed with the words "Cameron's Courage" ever since she went into the hospital.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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