A lorry driver from Ipswich, QLD, was left paralyzed because he had an incredibly rare condition that doctors thought was a stroke

A truck driver is lucky to be alive after being struck down by a rare disease that doctors initially thought could be a stroke or cancer.

Brendan O’Reilly, 30, suffered from balance problems at work before his condition worsened and he was admitted to Ipswich Hospital in Queensland.

His condition deteriorated, prompting doctors to admit him to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Woolloongabba, Brisbane.

Mr. O’Reilly lost the function of his hands and began to slur his words.

Doctors were initially puzzled by his symptoms before finally diagnosing him with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in February.

He is now expected to slowly make a full recovery and regain mobility over the next two months. However, doctors say he will not be able to drive for the next two years.

The father of two is now learning to walk again after being paralyzed for weeks and in intensive care for months.

ADEM is a very rare condition, affecting one in 250,000 people.

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, ADEM causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, causing damage to the coating around nerve fibers and causing paralysis.

Mr. O’Reilly’s brother Dan has set up a GoFundMe to support Brendan’s children as he continues to recover and regain his movement skills.

After Mr O’Reilly was diagnosed with ADEM, his mother Marie, 64, said some doctors didn’t know exactly what it was.

“Brendan was admitted on January 31 and on the third and fourth days he lost the function of his hands, could not sit up and his words began to mix up in sentences,” Ms O’Reilly told Daily Mail Australia.

“Doctors sent the results to Princess Alexandra Hospital and we were scared, just like Brendan was scared, they told him it could be cancer, a brain tumor or multiple sclerosis.”

“In his second week in hospital his condition deteriorated rapidly – he could see through you, couldn’t turn his head and was completely paralyzed on his left side.”

“After three weeks we were diagnosed that Brendan has ADEM.”

Mr O’Reilly was just days away from his 30th birthday when he was first hospitalized and now his family is trying to navigate the unpredictable path that lies ahead.

“Brendan had a three to five day plasma exchange that brought his speech back significantly,” Ms. O’Reilly said.

“Motion has returned in his left shoulder and arm, and his leg has taken the longest to come back.”

“Now Brendan is getting up and learning to walk again.”

“This illness came out of nowhere so quickly and completely changed his life.”

Brendan is expected to be released from hospital on July 11 and his family is now trying to raise money for the extended treatment while supporting his seven-year-old son and three-year-old daughter.

His brother Dan started a fundraiser that he hopes will raise $30,000 in donations to help ease the mounting burden of medical bills.

“Brendan has been in the hospital and unable to work to care for his young children while Brendan is making progress with his physical therapy and is on the mend that will remain in the hospital for months to come,” he wrote.

“As a family, we’re asking if anyone has anything left to donate to Brendan as he won’t be able to return to work or drive a car anytime soon when he’s finally allowed to leave the hospital.”

So far $12,297 has been raised and local rugby league club Ipswich have also organized a raffle to raise money.

Although the cause of Mr. O’Reilly’s condition is not clear, symptoms can appear shortly after a viral or bacterial infection, although it is known that people without a pre-existing infection can develop ADEM.

For most people diagnosed with ADEM, recovery begins immediately after treatment begins, with full recovery typically occurring within six months.

Most patients can recover without permanent damage to their nerves or spinal cord.