Arizona girl hospitalized for rare inflammatory disease from COVID-19

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     Phoenix, AZ (KTVK) — Joelle Prestegard, age 12, is finally home in Ahwatukee following a relentless battle with COVID-19. Her mother, Marissa King, watched helplessly as the virus attacked her daughter’s body.

“I was ready to give up. I am there by myself with her, and it is just her and I in this room. You feel really alone,” said King.

Joelle was in Texas when she started feeling sick. On July 17, she went to the emergency room where she tested positive for the virus. A chest X-ray also revealed she had pneumonia in her lungs. Joelle ended up in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

King said Joelle was then diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), a rare complication of coronavirus in children. According to the CDC, MIS-C M is a condition where different parts of the body can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. Many kids who have or have had the coronavirus virus then develop MIS-C.

“There was a spell where she was coughing really bad. She couldn’t catch her breath. Her heart rate was dropping,” said King.

King said there were many moments she didn’t think Joelle would make it. However, she finally started to respond to treatment. Just last week, she was discharged from the hospital. Now, King wants other parents to know their children are not immune to the virus.

“She still has a long way to go, but at least I got to bring her home. Another parent might not be that lucky,” said King.

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