Mom praises God after son recovers from severe auto-immune attack, By Marissa Chavez, Peoria, Ariz.

I had never used CHM, and because my kids are healthy I believed I’d never need to use it. After my son’s health took a bad turn, I was terrified about the financial situation we’d be in, but CHM reassured us at every step.

My son, Diego, was diagnosed with COVID-19: his symptoms were very mild. Over a month later, long after he’d recovered, he told me he was too tired to go to basketball practice. The next day, he broke out in a rash.

We went to the doctor, and the doctor thought it was scarlet fever due to a post-covid weakened immune system. When Diego was still running a fever two days later, I took him back to the doctor who said he was on the mend and that it was safe to go on our upcoming Bahamas vacation.

Two days into our trip, Diego was vomiting with a high fever. Not knowing how ill he was, I chose to fly home early with him. I set up an appointment for some bloodwork; the doctor said to take Diego directly to the emergency room, as his troponin levels were extremely elevated.

The ER doctor explained he had Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). MIS-C is an auto-immune response to COVID-19, resulting from an overactive immune system that starts attacking itself. The cardiologist explained that all of Diego's organs were inflamed, but his heart was affected the most. She told us some kids end up with permanent heart damage, and he immediately needed to start Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment.  

The next morning, after receiving IVIG, Diego felt much better, but he had a long way to go. I felt so helpless, and I reached out to CHM for prayers. Your outpouring of love and prayers was tremendous. I can't put into words how much your words and prayers meant to me at my most vulnerable time. The doctors at the hospital were also kind and compassionate.

When the cardiologist said it takes six months to recover, Diego said, "I can still play basketball, right?" The doctor kindly responded that basketball needed to be put on hold until he was better. This news broke our hearts. We wanted to support his efforts to improve in basketball, so we’d enrolled him in several summer camps and lessons. Instead, he sat on the bench and cheered on his teammates. For three months he wasn’t allowed to participate in physical activity of any kind.

After months of doctor's appointments, bloodwork, EKGs, echocardiograms, and stress tests, Diego was cleared by the cardiologist just in time for basketball tryouts, and I'm proud to announce that Diego made the basketball team!

According to the last scan, Diego has made a full recovery. We’re involved in a research study with Phoenix Children Hospital about the long-term effects of MIS-C. It’s a new disease, and we really don't know outcomes over time, but Diego seems almost as good as new.

God taught me as a mother to stop worrying and to place my trust in Him. Diego's illness taught me to pray relentlessly. Every time I started to worry, I changed those racing thoughts into prayers for my boy, and it worked!

Two weeks ago, Diego completed a mission trip to Rocky Point, Mexico, building houses for people in poverty. I know God put him on this earth to be a kingdom-centered difference maker. Thank you all for your prayers for Diego! God is good!