Daniel’s story takes a happy turn
By Ginny Privitar
Dingmans Ferry — When we last met Daniel DePolito, he was a very sick little boy. In February 2015, we wrote about his experiences with undiagnosed Lyme disease and a year in which he was frequently sick and hospitalized.
Daniel's symptoms included severe headaches, swollen joints, and difficulty moving and walking. He had gastrointestinal and urinary problems. He suffered from pain, fatigue, and, eventually, vision problems in his right eye. It took a long time for him to get a proper diagnosis.
Today, we are happy to report that Daniel has beaten Lyme. According to his mom, Holly Kelly, Daniel is “doing a lot better; doing outstanding, actually.”
His Lyme is dormant and he has not had a flare-up of symptoms in over a year. He does have some arthritis caused by the Lyme, though, and when it rains or gets damp, he has mobility and joint issues. But this is the exception.
This now happy, active child is in third grade. “He loves it; he loves his teacher and friends, and he’s getting amazing grades, Kelly said. His favorite subject is art, and his mom reports that he loves to draw pictures of the outdoors, especially sunsets, and he wants to be an artist when he grows up.
Kelly describes his turnaround as “a total 180 … He’s like a totally different child.” This young boy who was formerly sluggish is now an energetic 10-year-old who is constantly playing baseball, playing with his four siblings, and enjoying life. He gets up early in the morning and walks the family dog, Bella, before school. His mother describes herself as on cloud nine.
A sister, Taylor, who will be four, was also diagnosed with Lyme, but as Kelly says, “This time we knew what to do and nipped it right in the bud,” with appropriate treatment.
Daniel sees an infectious disease specialist at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital once a year. Now he only takes probiotics. He enjoys the outdoors but takes precautions with bugs. His disease did take an emotional toll, though; sometimes he has nightmares about being back in the hospital. Here’s hoping that fear will fade over time.
Now Daniel's enjoying life to the fullest. Last Saturday, he had a sleep-over party at his house, and dozens of kids were there. They had so much fun playing games, they kept Daniel’s mom up until 11 p.m.
You go, Daniel.