Oologah Boy Arrives At Ohio Hospital For Facial Reconstruction Surgery

By Jeffrey Smith, The News On 6

CINCINNATI, OH -- An Oologah child who nearly lost his life to bacterial meningitis prepares for his next battle.

Six-year-old Jeremiah Mitchell arrived at a Cincinnati hospital Monday afternoon, and will undergo several reconstructive surgeries this week. 

His arms and legs were amputated last week.

3/25/2010  Related Story: More Surgery Ahead For Oologah Boy Stricken With Meningitis

Jeremiah is staying at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Cincinnati. Jeremiah was immediately placed in a specialized Intensive Care Unit. 

Doctors will monitor his health and assess his needs for the next day or so and he could have his first facial reconstructive surgery on Thursday.

3/26/2010  Related Story: Facial Reconstruction Surgery Planned For Oologah Boy Stricken With Meningitis

The hospital has done this kind of surgery before, but doctors there mostly deal with burn injuries, and though meningitis surgeries are rare, they're not unprecedented. Last fall, they treated a child a little younger than Jeremiah with meningitis, who also had all four limbs amputated.

He spent a total of eight weeks in the hospital following reconstructive facial surgeries. It could be a similar situation for Jeremiah.

"I would say that he's going to have several surgeries. It's not going to be one surgery at all," said Louise Hoelker, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Cincinnati.

As far as the surgery, Jeremiah will need several skin grafts on his face. His biggest problem is that he has severe damage around his eyes, to the point he can't open them on his own.

The road to recovery is long, but the medical staff at Shriners Hospital for Children say they're the best at what they do.

On Wednesday, March 31, members of the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police will be raising funds to support the continuing care of Jeremiah. From 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. the FOP will be collecting funds at the following locations:

• F&M Bank 71st & S Harvard Avenue -- Tulsa, Jenks, Bixby, and Glenpool FOP's
• Northeast corner of 81st & S 145th East Avenue -- Broken Arrow FOP
• East 86th Street North & Highway 169 behind the RCB Bank -- Owasso and Collinsville FOP

At the Broken Arrow location, there will be a doughnut eating contest amongst the police officers to raise additional funds. It will start at 7:30 a.m.