WorthTheFight

Published: 28 May 2018

Written by sug_97

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TORTURE EXISTS IN 2018 IN THE US AND IT IS SPREADING GLOBALLY. IT’S HAPPENING IN MEDICAL FACILITIES. IT’S HAPPENING TO CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS (CPP), PEOPLE WHO ARE RECOVERING FROM SURGERY AND TRAUMATIC INJURY AND PEOPLE WITH PAINFUL, INCURABLE DISEASES. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS HAS GONE ON RECORD STATING THAT, “UNTREATED PAIN IS TANTAMOUNT TO TORTURE OR CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT.” ^[1] BY DENYING PAIN CONTROL TO PATIENTS WITH ACUTE OR CHRONIC PAIN, WE ARE LOSING A BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE.

Now is the time for us ALL to UNITE and take ACTION!

“Opioid Crisis” is a new buzz term being overused by national news and government officials to evoke a negative feeling about a drug that was created for helping people. The definition of “crisis” by Merriam-Webster dictionary is partially defined as “an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending; especially: one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome.”

There is much ignorance from our government officials. One example is from the US Attorney General, Jeff Sessions. In a visit to Tampa in February, Sessions remarked, “I am operating on the assumption that this country prescribes too many opioids. People need to take an aspirin sometimes and tough it out a little.”^[2] This statement underlies the lack of understanding of chronic pain and its detrimental effects among the government officials who have been tasked with solving this opioid crisis.

President Trump made this comment on March 19, 2018 and was quoted in an article by NPR: “Whether you are a dealer or doctor or trafficker or a manufacturer, if you break the law and illegally peddle these deadly poisons, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will hold you accountable.”^[3] While he is attacking the problem in multiple ways, he still seems to want to go after the legal prescription side in this battle.

Sixteen senators (now 15, since Al Franken resigned) had approached the DEA and requested and received a 20% cut in production in legal opioids in 2018 after cuts in 2017, and they want more cuts in 2019. Less production of legal meds creates big problems. And the DEA and Sessions have responded to this request, proposing a new rule that would allow the DEA to reduce the amount of opioids that drug companies can manufacture and sell, if it believes that a company’s opioids are being diverted for misuse.^[4] Meanwhile, hospitals are already experiencing a shortage of many injectable opioids used for surgical anesthesia and for the treatment of post-surgical, traumatic and disease-produced severe pain.^[5]

There have been a lot of statistics used to sway opinions in this fight. A group of anti-prescription opioid zealots known as PROP (Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing) have made claims about prescription opioids that most patients and doctors alike would disagree with. Members of PROP, including Andrew Kolodny, MD, an addiction specialist who serves as PROP’s executive director, have been very influential in the media and with government bodies alike. They were very involved with the formation of the 2016 CDC Opioid Prescribing Guidelines. In a 2015 Q&A for the Kolmac Outpatient Recovery Center, Kolodny said, “Many Americans are truly convinced that opioids are helping them. They can’t get out of bed without them.”^[6]And in an interview with The Fix in 2016, Kolodny was quoted as saying “Heroin users will use some of the exact same language pain patients use to explain how opioids help them. They wake up and feel agonizing pain, and they take their opioid and their pain becomes bearable.”^[7] While PROP and its members are busy trying to convince the public and the US government that opioids are almost never appropriate for chronic pain and that patients who use long-term prescribed opioid therapy are tantamount to addicts, the science seems to disagree. In a recent white paper published by the Alliance for the Treatment of Intractable Pain, a review of the applicable research laid out the case for opioid prescriptions for chronic pain being both effective and posing a very low risk for addiction.^[8]

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continued to count all deaths with legal or illegal opioids in a body, as an opioid death and using these statistics as an impetus to develop their 2016 guidelines, as well as listing them on their website to be cited by the media and other government officials who were tasked with developing policies to curb the overdose crisis. Using these statistics, it is no wonder that government officials came away with a belief that prescribing fueled the overdose crisis. However, in an article in April 2018 in a publication of the American Public Health Association, four CDC officials quietly admitted that the CDC statistics were miscalculated, and over-inflated by about double.^[9] So far, the CDC itself has not officially admitted that the numbers are wrong, and continue to stand by their 2016 prescribing guidelines.

The PDMP (Prescription Drug Monitoring Program) was an answer government officials put in place to ensure that legal drug users were brought into compliance with the new standards being enforced on doctors and pharmacies. The legal prescription opioid users that still have access to pain medication sign contracts, subject themselves to random drug testing and agree to use one pharmacy. Well, the reduction in production of opioids in 2018 has caused many pharmacies to have a drug shortage. Many pharmacists are also reticent to fill opioid prescriptions out of fear of the DEA, or worry about fueling the opioid crisis because of the false media narrative. Pain patients drive to the doctor’s office to pick up their paper prescription, take it to their pharmacy and wait. If that pharmacy is out of your medication, you now go to another pharmacy and this trend continues in hopes of a refill. Then we need to call our doctor’s office back and let them know we filled our prescription at another location. This is a lot on people with chronic pain.

There is also a negative stigma attached to having to take pain meds. Many chronic pain patients take prescription opioids to continue meaningful work. This could be a huge problem because they are afraid to speak out, afraid of losing their job, or at least bringing suspicion upon themselves from employers. Many patients are afraid that if those around them know they take pain medication, they will be seen as addicts. But it is time to brush off the stigma and the fear and to stand up for our rights to access proper and effective medical treatment. If we don’t, we may lose access permanently and keeping our jobs, social lives, and other important activities and relationships will not be possible due to disability from pain.

Doctors that want to be doctors are now caught up wasting time in government “guidelines” or laws and pressure from insurance companies that do not want to cover pain control prescribed by our doctors. Many doctors who have continued to prescribe despite the current hostile regulatory environment have been threatened, raided, and even arrested by the DEA.^[10] Our doctors are having to choose between upholding the Hippocratic Oath and keeping their ability to practice medicine and earn a livelihood altogether.

On April 3, 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services adopted a new policy governing opioid prescriptions for Medicare patients. While they backed down from a proposed “hard limit” where opioid prescriptions above 90 mg MME would be rejected at the pharmacy and could only be overridden by the insurer, they did end up passing a 200mg MME hard limit, and a “soft edit” at the 90 mg MME mark. This requires pharmacists to speak with the prescribing physician about the appropriateness of the dose for all prescriptions above 90MME. The pharmacist must then document this conversation and may fill the prescription at their discretion. The new rule also limits all new opioid prescriptions to 7 days, meaning Medicare will no longer pay for new opioid prescriptions that last more than 7 days, regardless of the circumstances. Many Chiari and EDS patients undergoing major surgery such as decompression or fusion, will no longer be able to receive more than a week of post-surgical pain medication without returning to their doctors for a new prescription. And patients who develop severe chronic pain in the future may not be able to get appropriate treatment for their pain. The only thing that kept CMS’ original proposal of a hard limit at 90mg MME was a severe backlash resulting in hundreds of strongly worded comments on their public docket from patients and physicians alike.^[11] It is proof that our voices do matter and that we can make a difference when we speak out.

Despite some backlash from the chronic pain and medical communities, the government pushes forward with their agenda. Some states have lost their right to proper pain control and many are being threatened. It is time for those patients who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for someone else to fight this battle for them, to rise and make some noise. It’s time for ALL of us to unite to make changes for ourselves and the future Pain Patients and our children. Imagine our children, inheriting these conditions from us and suffering the same or worse pain as we do, and having zero access to effective pain treatment because we allowed our government to take away one of our most effective treatment options!

What we all need to do is contact our elected officials. It easy to type up your email regarding your story and what pain meds mean to you or loved ones. You can look up your elected officials email address and copy and paste your email and send to many people. The elected official I spoke with said they have not heard from Chronic Pain Patients. Please take time and do this. You can send out emails laying down from your bed. You can also follow our CALL TO ACTION posts, which will inform you of key legislation and administrative actions and how you can act to make sure that our voices are heard.

My voice is one, but if many are sent in, they might listen. There is strength in numbers and together, we CAN make a difference! Please help.

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References:

¹ Tennant, Forest. “Editor’s Memo October 2017: United Nations Says Untreated Pain Is ‘Inhumane and Cruel.’” Practical Pain Management, PracticalPainManagement, <www.practicalpainmanagement.com/treatments/pharmacological/opioids/united-nations-says-untreated-pain-inhumane-cruel>.

²Slattery, Denis. “AG Sessions Says Patients Should Take Aspirin or Suffer through Pain to Prevent Opioid Addiction – NY Daily News.” Nydailynews.com, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2018, <www.nydailynews.com/news/national/sessions-patients-aspirin-fight-opioid-crisis-article-1.3808114>.

³Horsley, Scott. “President Trump Vows To ‘Liberate’ U.S. From Opioid Crisis.” NPR, NPR, 19 Mar. 2018, <www.npr.org/2018/03/19/594999711/president-trump-vows-to-liberate-u-s-from-opioid-crisis>.

⁴Anson, Pat. “Sessions Wants More Cuts in Opioid Production.” Pain News Network, 17 Apr. 2018, <www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2018/4/17/sessions-wants-more-cuts-in-opioid-production>.

⁵ Bartolone, Pauline. “The Other Opioid Crisis: Hospitals Are Running Short of Powerful Painkillers.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2018, <www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-opioid-painkiller-hospitals-20180316-story.html#nws=mcnewsletter>.

⁶ Kolodner, George. “Q&A: Dr. Andrew Kolodney, Chief Medical Officer, Phoenix House.”Kolmac Outpatient Recovery Centers, 14 Dec. 2015, <www.kolmac.com/2015/12/qa-dr-andrew-kolodny-chief-medical-officer-phoenix-house/>.

⁷Siegel, Zachary. “Pain Patients Fear the Future Amid Opioid Crisis.” The Fix, 27 Nov. 2018, <www.thefix.com/pain-patients-fear-future-amid-opioid-crisis>.

⁸Lawhern, Richard A. “Prescription Opioids and Chronic Pain.” The Alliance for the Treatment of Intractable Pain, Mar. 2018, <www.atipusa.org/2018/04/02/atip-white-paper-on-prescription-opioids-and-chronic-pain/>.

⁹Seth, Puja, et al. “Quantifying the Epidemic of Prescription Opioid Overdose Deaths.”American Journal of Public Health, 7 Mar. 2018, <www.ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2017.304265>.

¹⁰Bernstein, Lenny. “DEA’s Opioid Crackdown Brings Arrests of Prescribers, Pharmacists.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 2 Apr. 2018, <www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/deas-opioid-crackdown-brings-arrests-of-prescribers-pharmacists/2018/04/02/64ded32a-368f-11e8-8fd2-49fe3c675a89_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ef5781020422>.

¹¹Roubein, Rachel. “CMS Tweaks Opioid Proposal after Backlash.” TheHill, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2018, <www.thehill.com/policy/healthcare/381493-cms-tweaks-opioid-proposal-after-sparking-backlash>.

Published: 5 February 2018

Written by sug_97

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Categories: Testimonials, The Fight of a Chiari Angel

Zona McGee was blessed with a vibrant and beautiful little boy on July 2nd, 1993. She named him Ryan Andrew and fell in love with his sweet face the second she first held him. He looked just like her! Her husband, Kevin, and daughter Crystal, eight-years old at the time, were over the moon as well.

Zona had been battling a genetic kidney disorder her entire life, causing both of her pregnancies to be considered high-risk, so when her second delivery and birth went well, she was elated. She counted her blessings and relaxed into the day-to-day tasks of being a young mother. Her life was happy, and she adored her children very much.

By her beaming account, Ryan was a gregarious and charming little boy. “If there was something to explore, he would be all in it,” she told me. He had more energy than she knew what to do with and she kept him busy with stimulating activities and adventures. He was sweet, kind, and loved to make people smile, especially his sister, with whom he shared a unique bond.

Watching her children grow into responsible young adults made Zona immensely proud. She had many wonderful memories of her family through the years. Because her kidney disease is genetic, and other family members suffered as well, she had worried that her children may inherit the gene, but neither did. Ryan was a very bright, energetic, healthy child. Throughout his childhood, Ryan’s well-child checkups always received A+ reports.

However, when he was 15, his physician noted an incidental finding of minor scoliosis. Because Ryan did not complain of pain, the doctor decided to just keep an eye out for future changes. Ryan’s teenage years were happy. As he matured, his high energy settled down, and he became more introspective. He often spent his free time gaming on the computer, broadcasting on his YouTube channel, playing guitar, and enjoying life with his friends and family. Music was a major part of his world. He loved everything about it: listening, writing, and playing. He often shared his songs and favorite bands with his proud family.

Ryan was a good student and took a local job after graduating from high school. He loved working and earning his own money. By all accounts, Ryan was a completely normal, functioning, and on-target, young adult. He was doing what most recent high school grads do – living life, having fun, and trying to decide what profession he might go into.

He was also heavily involved in organ donor awareness. Although Zona had been doing remarkably well for years, during this time, her condition began to rapidly decline, and she was put on a kidney donor list. She had a calling to act and started a blog, which led to a passionate fight to spread awareness about the importance of donating organs and tissue. Ryan fought alongside her and made the decision to become a donor himself. Little did they know, Ryan’s decision would end up saving many precious lives, including his own mother’s.

In May of 2013, Ryan began experiencing minor, intermittent headaches that were uncomfortable, but not debilitating. Zona made the logical assumption that Ryan was not wearing his glasses often enough. She continued to encourage him to wear his glasses, but the headaches became more severe over the next month. He visited his doctor who also believed it was due to his eyes, and advised Ryan to take Tylenol for the “migraines.” Stress was also considered, but the doctor was not a bit concerned.

Sadly, glasses and Tylenol did nothing to prevent or relieve the pain. His headaches were constant and progressively painful, making it difficult for Ryan to function. He was in agony, but he tried to minimize his suffering as to not “burden or stress out his family.” The doctors assured them that “nothing serious” was going on with him. The doctors were horribly premature in that assessment of Ryan’s symptoms.

One Friday, during a particularly bad flare up, Zona became very concerned that Ryan may have been suffering from a sinus infection and planned to take him to a walk-in clinic that following Monday. He never made it to that visit. On Sunday, May 12, 2013, Mother’s Day, Ryan was stricken, out of the blue, with an unbearable headache. He also complained of a stiff neck and collapsed in the bathroom. Zona and Crystal, who both heard a “thud” found Ryan unresponsive on the floor, and rushed him to the hospital.

They waited anxiously, for tests to come back, wondering if Ryan’s symptoms pointed to meningitis. The doctors mentioned that he, “May have a brain tumor”, before all the results were back. The family was terrified. However, after an MRI scan and lab results were completed, the doctor came in and told Ryan that “luckily” it was not a tumor or bacterial brain infection, but that they had found a Chiari Malformation.

Zona anxiously queried, “A what?”

Her question was ignored, as her child was an adult. She asked again, but the doctor turned from her and explained the test results to Ryan directly. He told Ryan that a Chiari occurs when the brainstem becomes herniated, but they could easily “fix” it with brain decompression surgery. He also told him that unless he agreed to surgery, his headaches would worsen, and he would just keep coming back to the E.R. He was presented with consent forms and was informed that they wanted to do the surgery the following morning.

Ryan had never dealt with illness or pain and he was terrified. After consulting with Zona, who felt that they should take some time to get more information, Ryan made the decision to undergo the operation. He just couldn’t bear the pain any longer; it was that debilitating. They were promising him relief and his symptoms were so severe, he trusted them and signed the consent forms. Zona was beside herself with worry. She thought to herself, “We just found out that he has something I have never even heard of, and they want to saw through his skull? I need more time!”

But she didn’t have time. She also did not have the respect of the doctor simply based on Ryan’s age. This infuriated her, as while Ryan was over 18, she felt that his family should be able to have their questions answered as well. But she didn’t fuss. They were coming to prep him, so she hid her fear and frustration to be strong for her son. When they wheeled the gurney away, she had no idea she would never see her son the same way again.

During Ryan’s first surgery, a temporary shunt was placed in an attempt to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid. When that failed, the surgeon made the call to do decompression surgery. Ryan went into this operation a very healthy and fit young man, but he came out with obvious signs of brain damage. Though it was clear that Ryan wasn’t well post-op, his family never again saw the surgeon who performed his decompression. There was no follow-up.

Over the next few months, Ryan was rushed to the E.R. on several occasions due to cyclic, intractable, vomiting along with severe head and neck pain. During these dozen-plus visits to the E.R., he was turned away multiple times and labeled “drug-seeking, weak, and dramatic.” This was a slap in the face, as Ryan was advised to blindly have the surgery to prevent him from returning to the E.R. This painful irony was not lost on Zona, and it only added to her trauma and confusion.

Ryan was having seizures, yet he was told he was faking them. When Zona protested, she was told by a nurse entrusted with Ryan’s care, “Your son is not having seizures. What is wrong with you? Do you want him to have seizures?”

In all the E.R. visits, there was ONE brain scan. The family was told the surgery was successful and whatever was going on, if anything, was completely unrelated to his decompression surgery at their hospital.

On the last visit to this particular hospital, the chief neurosurgeon refused to treat him neurologically and ordered a psychiatric evaluation instead. After speaking with Ryan, the psychiatrist said, “I do not believe you are crazy, but you are a bit of a wimp.”

Zona was livid and chased everyone out of his room. She then immediately took Ryan to another, smaller hospital. It was obvious to the triage nurse that Ryan was in serious trouble. He was gaunt, having lost 30-plus pounds in three months. He had nystagmus, and his vital signs reflected the pain and distress he was experiencing. Scans showed brainstem slumping and his neck, literally, had no support. Zona was told that “too much bone had been removed,” and that he needed emergent intervention.

The doctors recommended immediate surgery to correct the horribly botched decompression. However, they suspected that he had meningitis, due to a fever, so they wanted to confirm and aggressively treat that before opening him back up. They began I.V. antibiotics and Dilaudid.

Again, Zona helplessly waited by his side for more test results. She was slightly relieved that there was finally a team of people looking after her child who believed them, but as she watched her child dozing from the pain medication, she barely recognized him. He was thin, with hollow, sunken eyes, and his weak, frail arms were drawn to his chest. Hands clenched in fists, he laid in a semi-fetal position. She wanted to know how this had happened. It had been a surreal, awful three months, and she wondered if there would be enough time to save him. Tragically, there was not.

Ryan suffered a fatal seizure the following morning that collapsed his brainstem, and he never woke up. He was pronounced brain dead, August 11th, 2013.

After Ryan’s death, it was discovered that he did not have an infection at all. According to an independent attorney’s assessment of Ryan’s medical records, there were at least nine opportunities for the health professionals, whom Zona trusted, to save Ryan’s life. The investigator called Ryan’s treatment barbaric and inconceivable. He, like all of us, want to know how this young man was so callously discarded and left to suffer until his untimely death. That question will never be answered. It is incomprehensible how the “professionals” who did have contact with Ryan, not only shunned him, but covered up evidence of medical injustice in order to protect their establishments, surgeons, and other health care workers.

Ryan’s severe, post-decompression, decline was obvious. Ryan was aware that he was in critical condition. He knew he was not going to survive. Before he died, he told Zona, “Make sure everyone knows what happened.” She did that and more.

Zona wanted the world to know who Ryan was and about the loving gifts he left behind. The medical establishment failed Ryan and his family, but he remains a true hero. Upon his death, several families received the gift of life through Ryan’s organ donation-including his mother, Zona. The day after Ryan died, she was in surgery receiving her child’s kidney.

There are times when Zona, naturally, wondered what she could have done differently, but the answer to that is simple: Without advocacy and awareness, hindsight is 20/20. There was nothing more she could have done. She tried everything in her power that she knew to do at that time. Because this was being reiterated by the doctors, she had faith that he was in good hands and that he would recover fully. There was no playbook she could consult on how to advocate for her child. She was in a surreal state of shock, disbelief and fear. She had no frame of reference to show her that the medical professionals in charge of Ryan’s care were terribly wrong, and negligent in the very least. She had to believe the doctors whose opinions and advice we are taught to trust. After all, doctors are the ones who have the medical degrees and they know best, right? No.

From the time Ryan was decompressed to the day he died, Zona made several calls to get Ryan help, but nobody would listen! Zona’s desperate attempts to alert the medical staff of Ryan’s worsening condition were to no avail. Nobody helped! Nobody cared! Nobody listened.

Zona took the pain from this unimaginable nightmare and turned into an unrelenting drive to educate other families who are caught up in the trap of medical injustice. She became a fierce advocate for patient safety and rights with the hope that no other child will suffer the way Ryan did. She also helped parents navigate the medical system so that they may learn from her experience. She vowed to work feverishly to bring about awareness and authorized a documentary about Ryan’s life and struggle with Chiari Malformation.

On Sunday, May 14th, 2017, Mother’s Day, Zona McGee, succumbed to metastatic lung cancer that she acquired from the anti-rejection drugs she was given to save Ryan’s kidney. Her death is a tremendous loss to our community. Her family and friends miss her more than any of my words can express.

Zona’s worst fear was that Ryan would be forgotten and that her promise, to let everyone know his story, would end with her life. I promised we will never let that happen. We never will.

Rest in peace, beautiful angels.

Please support Zona’s Visions:

Zona’s Blog Zona-Life On The Waitlist

Ryan’s Awareness Page: Ryan’s Voice Chiari Patient Awareness

Please support the documentary Writing For Ryan and view the documentary trailers and share the website link as well.
www.chiaridocumentary.com

Gianna Soares
Writing For Ryan
Updated 01-21-2018
For the exclusive use of Chiari Bridges, as per Zona’s request.

Published: 26 January 2018

Written by sug_97

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Categories: CB Departments, Health & Fitness Resources

After years of having our symptoms dismissed, having our pleas for help and understanding seemingly fall on deaf ears by our doctors (and many times our friends and family as well), it can be a relief to finally have a name for what has gone so horribly wrong with us. The relief is short-lived however, as we begin to realize the full scope of all that is really wrong with us. Although surgery can be extremely successful for some, many of us are left with some degree of symptoms or complications to deal with. For those of us who also have a connective tissue disorder, such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), the issues with our tissues can seem endless. The thought of “getting healthier” can seem like a daunting task. We do not have control over every aspect of our health, or every aspect of our fight, but we are not powerless! We do have control over some lifestyle choices, that can help improve our day-to-day lives.

MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE:
The single most important item within our control is our attitude! We don’t have to ignore our reality or turn a blind eye to the negative aspects of our conditions to have a positive attitude. We can choose to frame things in a positive light. For example, if I am no longer able to walk as far as I could this time last year, I can look upon that situation with an air of defeat… or I can remind myself that I was also unable to walk that far three years ago, but with determination, with time I made progress! It may be unfair that I must start over again, but I am worth every ounce of effort that it takes to do so. I can acknowledge the unfairness, and then choose to focus on making progress towards my goal. A positive attitude is not going to will Chiari or EDS away, but it can improve our experience of living with these conditions.

CHOOSING FOODS WITH YOU IN MIND:
With connective tissue disorders, and the myriad of effects they can have on our bodies, eating healthfully can feel like walking through a minefield. Mast cell issues can cause sudden or intermittent allergic reactions to a wide variety of foods. Dysautonomia can require us to consume large amounts of salt (and still may end in nausea and vomiting). We are more prone to gastroparesis, gastric dumping, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and other gastrointestinal problems that limit our food choices. Despite all these challenges, most of us can make food choices with optimum health in mind. Many EDS experts recommend eating whole, nutritionally dense foods, and taking supplements to help mitigate the vitamin and mineral deficiencies many of us are prone to, due to malabsorption. If inflammation is an issue, we can avoid dairy, sugars, refined flour, fried foods, and replace them with foods that are known to reduce inflammation, such as: salmon, blueberries, beets, broccoli, spinach, and foods cooked in turmeric, ginger, garlic, and olive oil. Most importantly, we can educate ourselves on our various conditions and what the experts on those conditions recommend, discuss this information with our own doctors and develop an individualized plan for ourselves, and apply this knowledge to our everyday life. Knowledge is key with conditions such as ours! While eating well is not going to shrink our cerebellar tonsils or cause our bodies to make collagen differently, it can help improve energy levels, and reduce pain and other symptoms.

MOVING IS ESSENTIAL TO MOBILITY:
Despite the pain and the fear, we can choose to move every day and strengthen our bodies as much as possible. Deconditioning is a real issue for many of us who have had such debilitating pain and other symptoms, that even after a successful decompression surgery, we may find ourselves unable to function normally again. And while we may never be 100% again, we usually can gradually improve our strength and endurance through a good physical therapy and exercise program. Experts agree that strong muscles help reduce many of subluxations and soft tissue injuries that are common to us. It isn’t always easy to find the motivation to get up and take a walk or to do those exercises your physical therapist assigns, but we must remind ourselves that we are worth the effort, and that even the very slightest bit of progress, is still progress. As the adage goes, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

We encourage you to fight for better medical care, for more research, for doctors and loved ones to listen to you. But with that also comes a responsibility to do everything you can to take the best care of yourself possible. To follow your doctor’s recommendations (once you find a good one), to eat well, and to stay as active as you possibly can. But you don’t have to go this alone! If no other positive thing comes out of being diagnosed with Chiari or any of its comorbidities, we do promise you this; the Chiari community is full of amazing, inspiring, loving, encouraging people who will stand in your corner and cheer you on through all your challenges, even if no one else will. And we here at Chiari Bridges will be there along the way with tips and advice on living your best life possible with Chiari and all its ugly friends. Remember, pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional!

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Published: 19 January 2018

Written by sug_97

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Categories: Mental Health Resources

Depression is more than simply “feeling sad.” It is a deep dark tunnel of despair that seems to have no end. It manifests as a cohort of symptoms, seeking to wreak havoc in every facet of your life. The activities that you once found enjoyable seem to take more energy than it promises to be worth. Your energy levels plummet, often resembling that of a slug crawling through peanut butter. Insomnia, restlessness, changes in appetite, and memory loss are often present. Mood swings that change without permission, rational and irrational guilt, endless chronic pain, and suppressed emotions (“I’m fine, really.”), create an enormous obstacle that seems impossible to overcome. The chronic illness, loss of identity, and indifferent medical community make treatment challenging. The depression Chiarians feel can be overwhelming and isolating.

Chronic pain is something Chiarians face on a daily basis. Disabling pain that reduces your quality of life can make once simple tasks difficult to accomplish. Things like taking a shower or cooking become incredibly challenging. Fatigue can set in quickly, that even when we have plans that we’re excited about, just getting ready for them can be enough to put us back in bed. All of this can give us an altered self-perception of feeling useless, which enhances the depression. Chronic pain is both a physical and psychological condition, thus making treatment complex and difficult. Pain can cause depression and depression causes pain; it’s a vicious cycle.^[1]

Beyond the pain aspect, damage to one’s cerebellum is known to have cognitive consequences as well, and that includes emotions. While much of the research is based on the cognitive effects of decompression surgery,^[^2] many Chiarians have reported a noticeable cognitive decline years before surgery. In some cases, they complained of cognitive issues even before their Chiari diagnosis. One study pinpoints a “reciprocal connection between the cerebellum and hypothalamus” that govern “intellect, emotion, autonomic function, and sensorimotor control.” Another article on Secondary ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder) speaks of the cerebellum and its known connection to ADHD, and even though the cerebellum is almost exclusively thought of in terms of its motor control, “it is the most consistently implicated and also the most robustly abnormal structure in the pathophysiology of ADHD.”^[3] The article attributes it to the fact that, the cerebellum is “second in size to only the cerebral cortex, contains more neurons than the rest of the brain combined, and is massively connected to the cerebral cortex.” Among Chiarians, we have long-known that we all suffer from memory issues (both long and short term), anomic aphasia (repeated trouble remembering words), and various other cognitive struggles, and it’s important to remember that all of our thoughts, including those that are depressive in nature, stem from our brains (even our cerebellum).

Adjusting to the new normal is always a challenge, not only for us, but the ones we love as well. The loss of our former selves and our careers is very hard. Maybe you were a full-time parent or provider, caring for your family and you find yourself the one being cared for by loved ones. You find yourself depending on family and friends to do for you things that you once did for yourself, making you feel like a burden on those you love most. You may experience a sense of helplessness when trying to get friends and family to understand what you are going through. There will be friends and family who cannot or will not try to understand. They will think you are lazy or seeking attention. We must mourn the loss of old selves, careers, sometimes family and friends, as others must mourn their loss of your former self, and learn to embrace the new you in your new normal.

The struggle to have the medical community work with us, rather than against us, feels like an impossible feat. The worst thing that happens to us when dealing with doctors is being told that everything is in our head (which at least isn’t 100% wrong, but not in the way they mean it). In their ignorance, our doctors often dismiss our symptoms as mere depression, being a hypochondriac, or a drug seeker. They tell you that losing weight will alleviate your problems. That may be true for some things, but no amount of weight loss is going to put your brain back into your skull and it’s hard to focus on exercise when every single step makes you feel like your neck is literally breaking. Instead of admitting that they have limited knowledge on Chiari, they attempt to make you feel stupid, inferior, and a bother to them. It’s so frustrating when those who are have taken an oath to help you and are charging you for that help, are not willing to learn about your condition. You become the educator, teaching those who are interested and willing to learn. You become your own best advocate!

There is hope. There is a light in the tunnel. The depression may not go away completely, but it can be managed. There are things you can do to help alleviate the symptoms. Joining a support group (in person or online) to connect to those who experience the same things you do can be a tremendous source of support. Encourage family and friends to join support groups to get a better understanding of your condition and to join groups for caregivers so that they have somewhere they can connect with people that are going through the same fears and frustrations that they’re going through (because the Chiari isn’t just affecting you). Get to know others that are fighting your fight, learn from them, stand with them, and maybe even volunteer to help others new in their fight!

There will be times when your body rails against you, making it difficult to get out of the house. But try to stay as active as you can with something! Try to continue with your favorite hobbies: reading, writing, crocheting and coloring books. Keep your memory working by utilizing crossword puzzles, Sudoku, puzzles (the box kind) and card games like Solitaire. The most important thing is keep talking with people: call a friend or make new ones if you need to. Find a therapist that you like. Share about what you’re going through and show concern for what others are going through. You are worth the fight!

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References:

¹ “Depression and Chronic Pain.” Self Help Center, <www.selfhelpcenter.org/pdf-publications/Depression%20and%20Chronic%20Pain.pdf>.

² Allen, Philip A., et al. “Task-Specific and General Cognitive Effects in Chiari Malformation Type I.” PLoS ONE, Public Library of Science, 15 Apr. 2014, <www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3988081/>.

³ Eme, Robert, and Erin Sheffer. “The Cerebellum and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder A Case Study of a Cerebellar Chiari 1 Malformation.” The Practitioner Scholar: Journal of Counseling and Professional Psychology, 2012, <www.thepractitionerscholar.com/article/view/10503/7232>.

Published: 19 January 2018

Written by sug_97

1 Comment

Categories: Advocacy Resources

Self-advocacy starts with believing that you are worthy of love, respect, dignity, and autonomy. This belief will animate everything you do and will affect how others will believe, perceive, and respond to you. It will affect the degree to which others will be able to help you, including your medical team and support systems. Other people can only help us to the degree that we value ourselves and are willing to invest in our own personal well-being. Your self-image and appreciation will affect how well you are able to speak up for yourself and your rights as a well-deserving person and patient. You deserve the time to express your concerns and ask questions, with an expectation of being listened to, supported, and respected without prejudice. And you have a right to be given all of your information regarding your health, so you can make informed decisions regarding your health and livelihood. Unfortunately, we don’t always get that from our medical professionals or the government agencies that we spend a lifetime paying into for such provisions, so we must be ready to fight for it!

EMPOWER YOURSELF THROUGH EDUCATION

Learn and understand your diagnosis. Researching and educating yourself is the single most important tool available to you in self-advocacy. Most of the information available is going to be found online in various articles, websites, videos, and within online support groups. Finding accurate, up-to-date, and reputable sources is paramount. Here at Chiari Bridges, we try to reference the studies and peer-reviewed articles behind our information, so you know the official sources that the information came from and will be better able to justify your requests and concerns to your doctors. Regardless of your source, be prepared to find a lot of conflicting information. These contradictions mainly exist because Chiari and its co-morbid conditions are being researched like never before, so it’s an exciting time, but that fails to give much comfort to those having to fight with their doctors on the existence of every symptom they face.

Know your rights as a patient and your doctor’s legal responsibilities. Rights and responsibilities are often governed by state and federal laws and are outlined and included in the paperwork given to you from medical practices, health care systems, hospitals, and facilities. Your providers will likely require you to sign that you agree to and understand them. In doing so, these are legally binding for both parties. Thus, you will want to make sure you understand them fully before signing them and make sure you get a copy for your own records (if they don’t give them to you, don’t be afraid to ask for a copy).

Learn and understand your health insurance. Know what your policy does and does not cover. Become familiar with which doctors, medical services, and facilities are covered. Find out about copays, deductibles, out-of-pocket costs, and other relevant information. Find out if your policy includes out-of-network benefits and associated costs; including out-of-state benefits. If no out of network/or state benefits exist, find out if exceptions can be made. Almost all insurance plans do have some form of exceptions and/or appeals process for this very purpose. There are commonly two stages of appeal, an internal review (your appeal is reviewed in-house) and an external review (where you are specifically asking for a review made by an outside organization that has not been a part of your provision of care and has no conflict of interest).

Learn about Advance Directives, Living Wills, Durable Healthcare Power of Attorneys, etc. You will want to familiarize yourself with all of these and decide what, if any, is right for you.

EMPOWER YOURSELF BY DEVELOPING SKILLS AND ACCESSING TOOLS

Communication Skills and Tools. Learning to know when and how to communicate your needs and desires to others is important, especially when you have a limited amount of time with your doctor. Brevity, clarity, relevancy, problem solving, negotiating and preparation are key skills and tools. It might be beneficial to sit down beforehand and write the specific points that you want to address, and what your ultimate goal is in the appointment. Maintaining a respectful dialogue is always of utmost importance. Keeping your emotions under control is crucial. Otherwise, your doctor might take you less seriously or assume your symptoms stem from psychological causes.

Medical Records. As a patient, it is important to always obtain a copy of your medical records and review them for accuracy. It was once thought amongst medical professionals that a patient’s medical records were solely for doctors to communicate amongst themselves. Some medical professionals still hold to this antiquated ideology and become obviously disgruntled that you have chosen to exercise your patient right to not only obtaining your medical records but also, demanding they are 100% accurate. What is listed in those medical records will be used to treat you. It is important they are accurate and are corrected if they are not.

Keep copies of all imaging and radiology reports. Images are not kept forever, nor are other medical records. Sometimes doctors do not tell you some of the things found in your imaging/reports and other tests because they deem them “incidental” or irrelevant. Sometimes, doctors miss what is obviously clear altogether. Many Chiarians go through years of misdiagnosis before properly being diagnosed. Often, a look back through your medical records will show patterns and assist in the discovery, diagnoses, and treatment.

Patient Portals. With the advent of portals being used in many practices and facilities, patients have easier, free access to many of their medical records now. The same rules apply to the information retained in the portals in regard to how long they are kept there. Any conversations you might have with your provider through the portals should be saved as well.

Organization and Preparation. Every person has their own way of “organizing.” This extends to your medical records keeping as well as preparation for appointments. There are some free online resources to help you with this organization. Some like to make a “chart” for their medical records by creating a binder with tabs. Some use digital charts/record-keeping tools for online free or for purchase. Many apps for phones exist to help as well. However you decide to organize is up to you, but is an invaluable tool available to arm and equip yourself in self-advocacy.

Self-Care and Coping Skills. We often underestimate the necessity of self-care; as well as the power of developing positive, healthy coping skills and techniques. Self-care is pretty standard for all: getting proper nutrition, rest, appropriate and safe exercise, taking meds faithfully, taking time for recreation and refreshment, and tending to the beauty that is your body, mind, and spirit. Everyone has ways they “cope” in life in general and within the framework of chronic illness. It’s important to find the ones that work for you.

EMPOWER YOURSELF BY FINDING THE RIGHT DOCTOR(S)

Self-Education. Self-education precedes the ability to find a good doctor. If you are not aware and knowledgeable about your diagnoses and disorders, you will not recognize whether a doctor is the right one for you. Educate yourself on your conditions and on what your potential doctor has published on your conditions: What are their credentials, experience, affiliations, number of cases they have treated, and specialties and sub-specialties? Look for any official publications and scientific journals or other research that your provider may have written. Additional information can be found online through state records and other sources regarding your physician.

Ask family, friends, and other medical professionals. Find others who have PERSONAL FIRST-HAND doctor/patient experience with the potential provider. Keep in mind a doctor can be a great fit for one patient but not for another. You can also ask for the opinion of your present doctors or other medical professionals.

Getting 2nd Opinions and When to Find Another Doctor. It is never wrong, always wise, and completely within your rights as a patient to seek a second opinion (or more). If you are facing a potential surgery or procedure that could be risky and/or permanent, it is prudent to get multiple opinions. It is your right to ask for and change doctors at any time or facility. You do not need to give any reason nor explain yourself, though you will likely be asked to do so. Be careful not to burn bridges or become “blacklisted.” Always find a new doctor before leaving the old one.

EMPOWER YOURSELF BY DEVELOPING YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM AND GETTING HELP. Being a self-advocate does not mean “going it alone.” Developing and surrounding yourself with a support system is vitally important and many consider it to be “their lifeline” to keep going.

Local or online support groups. Finding the right local or online group can be just as important as finding the right doctor and educating yourself. Remember, there is a lot of accurate and inaccurate info out there (even amongst our medical professionals). A support group is only as good the respect they have for you in your fight. If they respect the Chiari fight, it will be evident in the way they treat one another and in the accuracy of the information they espouse and share. Online groups each tend to have a different set of rules that members are expected to follow: some allow and encourage advice and recommendations amongst their members, and some do not allow it at all. Not every group will be the right fit for each Chiarian, but you can expect any good group to be kind, supportive, respectful, accurate in the information disseminated, gentle correction of inaccurate information shared respect of your autonomy, choices, and a zero-tolerance for bullying.

Workplace Support. There are laws that protect you and that can even provide assistance and support within the workplace that you should familiarize yourself with. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) is a federal law in the United States requiring employers to provide employees with up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave for qualified medical and family reasons annually; but you must file it as FMLA leave to get the protection.

School Support. There are programs and opportunities within schools that you should also familiarize and protect yourself with if your Chiarian is in school. In the United States, the US Department of Education has worked hard to incorporate federal laws to help reduce discrimination and increase structured programs to help ensure the success of students with disabilities. As a result, most schools, including colleges, have programs where students with disabilities can get special allowances for recording devices, note takers, removal of time limits on tests, etc. These programs are usually subsidized at a state level and have different names depending on your state, but a school counselor should be able to point you in the right direction. These protections may be limited in privately funded colleges and universities that do not receive any public funds.

Support and Assistance Programs. There are hosts of programs, assistance, and support to be found in nearly every local area (through county trustees, charitable organizations, and churches), as well as state and federal programs. Just are few examples of help available are assistance with mortgage, rent, utilities, food, clothing, medical bills, medical insurance, free or reduced-cost prescriptions, holiday assistance, back-to-school, free or reduced-cost dental clinics, pro-bono legal help, cash assistance programs, etc.

Professional Advocate Support. While self-advocacy is important, you might find that you are needing more help than you can accomplish alone. Managing your health can be confusing and overwhelming. Sometimes it can be hard to get your voice heard by the healthcare professionals around you. The healthcare system itself is very complicated. If you are having difficulty finding your way through the complex maze of healthcare, you might want to consider seeking the help of a professional advocate. There are hospital advocates, non-profit patient advocates, for-profit (employer-based) advocates, and independent advocates for you to turn to.

Family and Friends Support. Chronic illness can take a huge toll on relationships. We all want and need the love and support of our family and friends. Not everyone has this support, making it all the more painful. No two families or friendships are alike. If you find a lack of support amongst your friends and family members, seek to restore it and in the meantime, find another means of support as Chiari is not something you want to fight alone. Support groups are a good alternative means to help find the support you need.

Counseling Support. Sometimes we all find ourselves struggling to cope. Maybe we lack support or want to protect our relationships by not always talking about our problems to friends and family, yet need an outlet. Finding a therapist can be one of the best things we can do for ourselves. Doing so doesn’t mean you’re crazy or weak. It is a sign of strength and indicates that you value and respect yourself in every facet of your life; which brings us back to the reason we learn to self-advocate in the first place. Believe you are worth it – all of your body, mind, and spirit! If you ever find yourself in a life-threatening crisis, don’t be ashamed to contact a crisis hotline.

When to get a lawyer. If you believe you are the victim of abuse, harm, malpractice, or neglect, you may need to seek the counsel of a malpractice attorney. If you suspect your workforce rights have been are in danger of being violated, you may want to contact an employment lawyer. If you find yourself no longer able to work, seek a Disability lawyer. Elder lawyers can often be helpful too and are not just for the elderly. If any of your rights have been violated, it may be time to seek counsel.

Self-advocacy will empower you to know and speak up for yourself, make your own decisions, learn and exercise your rights and responsibilities, learn about your condition(s), and how to get accurate up-to-date information in order to make decisions concerning your care, treatment, and overall well-being. It will help you find the right doctors, support systems, options, resources, and get other help available to you. As you journey along in self-advocacy, you will grow both as a patient and a person. You will also discover many additional ways that self-advocacy benefits and empowers you, and in turn, you’ll be able to help pass those benefits on to others as well.

Published: 19 January 2018

Written by sug_97

3 Comments

Categories: A Chiari Warrior's Journey, Testimonials

My introduction to Chiari malformation I (CM1) begins in 1994. I had been married about 7 months and we had just celebrated our ﬁrst Christmas together as newlyweds. Shortly after the new year, I developed a bad headache that eventually evolved into losing my eyesight in one eye. I went to the eye doctor, who immediately sent me to the hospital. I was diagnosed with Pseudotumor Cerebri and Papilledema, which are known to often accompany Chiari (co-morbid conditions). At the time, we were told that it was likely due to a virus. I had five failed lumbar punctures and ﬁnally a successful sixth in radiology, was given Diamox, and the problems went away. Nothing was ever said about Chiari or an abnormal MRI. I also had no idea that I could or should get a copy of the MRI from the hospital, so I could keep my own records. I wasn’t even given any reason on why it might be necessary. I trusted my doctors and they helped resolve the problem with my sight. Little did I realize that it was only the beginning and I was in for the fight of my life!

From 1994 until 2005, I had few further significant issues. I continued to have headaches which I treated with Excedrin and ringing in my ears (tinnitus), which was generally attributed to the aspirin in the Excedrin and sinus issues. In January of 2005, I started having jaw pain. I saw a number of dentists and doctors who couldn’t ﬁgure out the problem. I eventually ended up seeing a doctor specializing in pain management who indicated he thought it was Trigeminal Neuralgia (which is another co-morbid disorder of Chiari, but its connection wasn’t made known to us). I was sent to a neurologist, who pointed out I had a 2cm (20mm) herniation, which he said wasn’t enough to worry about, but it was a Chiari malformation. Again, he was the doctor, so we just trusted that it wasn’t something to worry about. The pain worsened: it started lasting for longer periods of time and increased in both intensity and frequency, so I went to the ER on the advice of the neurologist for pain relief. When I arrived, the neurosurgical group that I had an appointment with had left word for me to go to their oﬃce, so I could see them. Since my appointment wasn’t for another several weeks, we were thrilled to get in so fast. We were also told I had Trigeminal Neuralgia and that Chiari wasn’t related and that Chiari couldn’t kill you; although they informed me that I would need surgery. I was scheduled for a decompression surgery almost immediately and thought I was cured. The neurosurgeons indicated that a 2cm (20mm) herniation was quite significant and that I was “in good hands.” The decompression was somewhat successful in that it resolved some of my symptoms, but the relief was short lived.

I stopped taking the Gabapentin for Trigeminal Neuralgia but began having trouble with balance issues and nobody was sure why. I was told that the Chiari had nothing to do with any of this and that I was “just lucky” that all my conditions were minor. My surgeon considered Microvascular Decompression (MVD), but said I was “too tight” and the surgery wouldn’t be a good idea. In January 2007 and November 2007, I had rhizotomies performed to deaden the nerve. The rhizotomy only worked for about six months before the pain returned. I had a repeat rhizotomy in November 2007 and that has been successful to date. I was still having a lot of symptoms (that I now know to be Chiari symptoms) but they continued to assume them to be due to the Pseudotumor Cerebri, even though I didn’t have my pressure checked or any sign of a papilledema. In June 2008, I had a Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt put in. It was ligated (tied oﬀ) in July 2010 since I had lost weight and the symptoms had switched from what was presumed to be high pressure to low pressure symptoms. Due to my new low-pressure symptoms, they tried several blood patches in an attempt to repair what was assumed to be a leak, even though it was never found on any of the testing. Initially, the blood patches worked well, but over time the blood patches were less effective, and I started getting headaches again. Eventually, the doctors gave up on blood patches as they weren’t helping the headaches and finally, I stopped getting headaches (which we later found out wasn’t uncommon for those who have had long-term CSF leaks.

Despite my lack of headaches, I started having neurodegenerative problems: trouble maintaining consciousness, hypersomnolence, severe balance problems, bouts with confusion and cognitive changes. My neurologist became convinced that I needed a second decompression. He discussed my case with my neurosurgeon who initially didn’t think that another decompression would help. He was convinced to perform the surgery and I had the decompression in January 2012. The decompression was very successful for 23 days. After that, I declined rapidly. Over the next year, I developed multiple lung infections, which they presumed to be from my history as a smoker, but in reality, it was due to dysphagia. In January 2013, I was admitted to the hospital for yet another lung infection and by May, I was given a feeding tube. My wife was brought into a meeting with my neurologist where he said I needed to go to a nursing home and that my death could be imminent. I went to the nursing home and did better than they expected. Instead of dying at the nursing home, I improved and was released to go home a month later. I continued to improve enough to have the feeding tube removed that July.

Once home, my condition continued to decline. My wife continued researching and we decided to go and see a Chiari specialist since her research indicated it was the only real way to proceed, especially with a diﬃcult case. In June 2014, we met with one such expert who was able to explain why the ﬁrst two decompressions failed. Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Craniocervical Instability were two of the missing pieces to my puzzle. It was an eye-opening experience and ﬁnally, my issues made sense. We discussed several options for surgery, and eventually settled on a date, October 30, 2014. I had my third decompression and this time, a spinal fusion. It was a wild success! Many of my symptoms were resolved immediately. While it was not a cure, it certainly helped me substantially in restoring many functions and my quality of life.

However, in September 2015, I went into a coma while hospitalized for a reduced state of awareness (which coincided with weaning oﬀ the Decadron) and the local doctors said it was another failed decompression. In October 2015, I had yet another MRI. While going over the radiologist report, my wife noticed something none of my doctors mentioned, it stated that I had severe Intracranial Hypotension. My wife sent my MRI images to a leak expert and my NY neurosurgeon for further assessment.

In January 2016, I was in another hospital across the country having imaging for the known CSF leak. After the testing was done, a leak was found in my lumbar spine and a location they felt was suspicious on my thoracic spine (where I had old stress fractures and incredibly thin dura, believed to have been causing leaks). There were also bone fragments next to the fractures, so the doctor double reinforced my spine in that area and performed a dural reduction surgery in parts of my thoracic and lumbar spine. I got better until August 2016, when I started experiencing symptoms of a CSF leak. Upon consultation, we decided a blood patch would be the place to start and it resolved my symptoms quickly. As of August 2018, the blood patch has continued to keep me from leaking and no leak symptoms have occurred. While I’m going to be at risk for leaks, and likely leak periodically due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, I will take the results I’ve seen thus far. It’s also interesting to note that while I’ve had a number of unsuccessful patches, this time the post-patch recovery protocol was different in that I laid flat for 2 hours post patch, then 3 days lying flat except to go to the bathroom and eat. I’m convinced that this protocol helped immensely, as the weight of the CSF Is much greater when upright thus increasing the chance of a leak. Also, a blood patch doesn’t end the leak repair, it merely starts it. Once the clotting effect has finished, the next stage occurs, which includes tissue growth to repair the opening. With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, this process is often diminished and requires longer than the normal recovery time, which is why I believe many of us have had failed patches.

I am still continuing to heal, and likely will never be returned to my old self. I have been discharged from physical therapy as of December 2017, however I still exercise every day for at least an hour. I know that this is a key part of my healing; there have been a few occasions when I was unable to do my exercises for a few days I notice difficulty in doing my daily activities. In addition, I will not likely be able to work as a paid employee ever again, however, I have been able to provide some help to a variety of people. I enjoy helping others and this works well as if I have a less than optimal day, I can just let anyone who needs my help know that I won’t be available to help them.

My recovery hasn’t been without trouble, as I returned to the hospital once, in the spring of 2018, for what was presumed to be a gall bladder problem. Since I’ve suffered issues with kidney stones, it’s not surprising to me that I have a lot of gall stones. I suspect it has to do with some of the gastrointestinal issues that hEDS brings, but there is nothing definitive. After 2 days of pretty significant pain, the pain subsided and nothing more came of it.

Overall, there have been a number of positive outcomes and I wouldn’t change the decision to have my third decompression & fusion. This has granted me the ability to lead a life, which while not “normal,” is fulfilling.

I am not, and never will be, completely healed. Many of my symptoms have resolved to the point where I can tolerate them and at times, don’t even notice them. While there is no cure for Chiari or the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome causing it all, there is more healing possible. They are diﬃcult disorders for many reasons and one of the biggest issues is the way it presents itself; for each person, it can be entirely diﬀerent, making the diagnosis very diﬃcult. I will always have to be monitored for leaks each time the symptoms present themselves, but for now, I ﬁnd myself thankful to be alive and so very lucky to have the support I do, especially from my wife, my hero!

*Updated August 2018

Published: 1 January 2018

Written by sug_97

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Categories: General Information, Mental Health Resources