"He woke up, and his speech was slurred," said his mom, Laurie Bruce. "He was jerking. We didn't know what was wrong."
Now, Patrick jerks constantly. He communicates through his phone by text.
"All I can do is keep praying they can find something," Patrick told us by text.
Doctors treated him for high strep levels. Patrick even went to the Mayo Clinic, but doctors still don't know what's wrong.
"I feel like something is attacking my brain and trying to drag me down," said Patrick through text.
His mom is just as frustrated.
"We're stuck with a few abnormal test results," said Laurie Bruce. "We don't know what to do or where we need to go next. I'm just beside myself," she said. "I feel like I've hit a dead end and I don't know what to do."
He struggles through class, pain pulsing through his neck and shoulders, but he pushes on. Patrick is even taking his best friend to prom Saturday night."
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Doctors Baffled By Augusta Teen's Condition
Doctors Baffled By Augusta Teen's Condition
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Seventeen-year-old Patrick Bruce is one of the best saxophone players in the Augusta High School band, but it takes all he has to play through a complete song.
"He would have the tremors, but when he put the sax in his mouth, he would sway," said Augusta High Band Director Todd Hollis. "Over time it's gotten progressively worse."
Patrick is a 'straight A' student, as well as a member of The National Honor Society and Skills USA. He also starred on the high school soccer team. But in August, everything changed.
"He woke up, and his speech was slurred," said his mom, Laurie Bruce. "He was jerking. We didn't know what was wrong."
Now, Patrick jerks constantly. He communicates through his phone by text.
"All I can do is keep praying they can find something," Patrick told us by text.
Doctors treated him for high strep levels. Patrick even went to the Mayo Clinic, but doctors still don't know what's wrong.
"I feel like something is attacking my brain and trying to drag me down," said Patrick through text.
His mom is just as frustrated.
"We're stuck with a few abnormal test results," said Laurie Bruce. "We don't know what to do or where we need to go next. I'm just beside myself," she said. "I feel like I've hit a dead end and I don't know what to do."
He struggles through class, pain pulsing through his neck and shoulders, but he pushes on. Patrick is even taking his best friend to prom Saturday night.
It's soccer, he misses most.
"I've been playing since I was four years old so it's hard, but I kick around with the girls some," he said through text.
Patrick just wants to be normal again. It takes him awhile, but as we end the interview, he whispers, "I want to be fixed."
