Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman’s son Max continues to make positive progress after being diagnosed with a rare nerve disease at age three.
Freeman and his wife Chelsea announced earlier in August that Max had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. They were rushed to hospital with what they described as “full body paralysis.”
Freeman took a break from baseball to care for his family and now Chelsea has revealed that things are looking up for Max.
‘Max Update: We had great follow up appointments this week with our pediatrician and neurologists. People say GBS stands for “Getting Better Slowly”.
‘We’ve seen a lot of progress in the last week and a half. Max is sleeping through the night again for the most part. He’s sitting up on his own now and has even started army crawling in the last few days.
‘Our lives consist of doctor appointments, physical therapy and lots of time in the pool and we are so happy with how well Max is progressing.
“We are forever grateful to the Dodgers organization and fans for how incredible they have been to us. We are also overwhelmed by all the messages, cards, gifts, flowers, candy and prayers we have received. Thank you all.”
Freeman received a minute-long standing ovation earlier in August during his emotional return to Dodger Stadium for the game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Max began to lose feeling in his feet before the numbness spread to his shoulders and eventually affected his breathing. He was rushed to an Orange County hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator.
“It was tough to watch one of your kids fighting on a ventilator,” Freeman said during the press conference prior to his return to the Dodgers. “I know you parents understand that.
‘You would switch in a second to take that pain, that suffering away from your child in a heartbeat. When you feel hopeless, like [my wife] Chelsea and I have done that, it’s hard.
“He’s doing well. His personality is back. He’s Max. He’s doing well in that respect. But he’s having to relearn pretty much everything. Terrible syndrome, Guillain-Barré.”