Man overcomes major medical obstacle to become cop
Posted at: 01/11/2013 4:53 PM
By: WNYT Staff
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AMSTERDAM - An Amsterdam man overcomes a major medical obstacle to fulfill his life long dream of becoming a police officer.
23-year-old Michael Palmerino was among 42 police recruits to graduate from the zone five law enforcement training center in Schenectady.
Palmerino was diagnosed with an uncommon autoimmune disease that causes abnormalities to muscle receptors.
He had lost all muscle control in his face and had trouble speaking, smiling and eating.
Doctors at Albany Med were able to nurse him back to health with medication and the removal of his thymus gland.
"With him he not only had a severe disease. But there was this tissue sitting there. It was felt to be important to take that out and give him the best chance of recovery off his medications."
113126 "I was undiagnosed for a little while. It was pretty scary because I had all these symptoms and no one could explain to me why it was happening," said Michael Palmerino of the Amsterdam Police Department.
Palmerino has been symptoms free since his treatment.
He'll be on the job with the Amsterdam Police Department Saturday.
