Oologah Boy Stricken With Meningitis Responding Well To Treatment

By Jeffrey Smith, The News On 6

CINCINNATI, OHIO -- A 6-year-old meningitis victim braces for more surgery this week at a Cincinnati hospital. 

Doctors say Jeremiah Mitchell has been responding well to treatment. Bacterial meningitis took Jeremiah's arms and legs, and it nearly took his life. 

The News On 6 caught up with his grandmother the day after his first surgery in Cincinnati, as she contemplated Jeremiah's future.

"He will be on respirators and a trach and feeding tubes for months and months to come. He won't be able to eat for a long, long time," said Gidget Mitchell, Jeremiah's grandmother.

The disease killed Jeremiah's facial skin like a third-degree burn would. That's why he's being treated in a pediatric burn unit at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Cincinnati. 

Last week, he had three skin grafts in four days.

4/2/2010  Related Story: Oologah Meningitis Victim Has Third Surgery In Last Four Days 

Jeremiah's surgeon says these are the first baby steps in his recovery.

"After the skin grafts are done we're going to have to do a major reconstructive procedure for the lower lip and jaw area," said Dr. Richard Kagan, Jeremiah's surgeon.

During surgery this week, Dr. Kagan will finally be able to use healthy skin from Jeremiah's back to heal his face. 

Jeremiah is conscious and more alert each day, a positive sign, but also a heartbreaking one.

"We keep him comfortable and he sleeps a lot, but during those awake periods we like to talk to him and he's getting read to on a regular basis. We just want to remember that he's a little boy and we have to nurture that as much as we can," said Erich Schudel RN, Jeremiah's nurse.

Jeremiah's dad says his son is a fighter and believes he'll be able to lead a productive life.

"A lot of dreams are lost, but the dreams have just gotta change, we have to see something different in Jeremiah," said Dan Mitchell, Jeremiah's father.

Four more surgeries await Jeremiah in Cincinnati. 

The Mitchell family says Jeremiah is in the best hospital in the country for his needs and they're taking it day by day.

How To Help Jeremiah's Family

The family is requesting that Walmart gift cards be sent to them in Cincinnati to help them take care of basic needs.

Gift cards can be sent to:

• Shriners Hospital for Children

c/o Jeremiah Mitchell

3229 Burnet Avenue

Cincinnati, OH 45229

A fund has also been set up for the Mitchell family at Lakeside State Bank in Oologah. Call (918) 443-2474 to donate or mail donations to:

• Jeremiah Mitchell Fund

c/o Lakeside State Bank

Box 190

Oologah, OK 74053