Personal Stories
Personal Stories
My Daughter Maren
By Lisa B
July2010, Maren went to a friend’s house. While playing on a trampoline, she became very light headed. Her vision blurred and her head began to hurt. Her brother drove to pick her up. As soon as she arrived home we knew something was very wrong. We took her to an Urgent Care where she became much worse with extreme head pain and trembling. She then began having seizure activity and they took her by ambulance to Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, MN.
Mylee Grace
Just days after birth, Mylee Grace was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit in severe distress. Diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, she miraculously survived. But her battles were only beginning.
Mylee suffered from dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). Instead of traveling into her esophagus, food and liquids would go down the trachea into the lungs (called aspiration), which caused Mylee to suffer repeated episodes of life-threatening pneumonia during her first year of life.
What was causing Mylee’s troubling problems?
When an MRI scan was ordered for Mylee, it revealed a Chiari I malformation (a downward herniation of the cerebellar tonsils.
Children with Chiari I malformations under the age of 3 may present with some or all of these symptoms: failure to thrive, a history of difficulty feeding, problems swallowing, aspiration pneumonia, gastroesophageal reflux, and many undergo procedures such as Nissen fundoplication or tracheotomy.
Early identification is vital for children like Mylee. If your child has these symptoms, ask your doctor about screening for the Chiari I malformation. A surgical treatment could benefit your child.
Elizabeth Michel Camak Counts
My daughter Elizabeth Michel Camak Counts, was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis at the age of 5 years. At age 9 years, she was diagnosed with Syringomyelia, Arnold Chiari with Scoliosis. Through 2 major surgeries and 17 years as a patient of the Shrine Hospitals for Children, she has possessed a positive attitude and a capacity for endurance that most individual’s do not possess.
Shane’s Story
In 2017 Shane was selected as a recipient of the Bobby Jones Open College Scholarship.
Christine’s Story
Major events in our lives, no matter how traumatic, often turn out to being a blessing in the end. The outcome also alters the quality of life, our perspective of who we are and our attitude concerning the situation. Such was true, when I was diagnosed with Ehler’s Danlos syndrome, cranial settling and associated Chiari 1 malformation, in March of 2007.
Facing brain and spinal surgery, in May of 2007, was very scary and frightening, both for me and my family, it was something I knew I had to go through with an optimistic attitude. I also knew I had to face this ordeal head on and go through surgery, if I was going to get physically healthier and stop the progression of the cranial settling. However, my journey with dealing with a physical alignment, did not start when I was diagnosed with EDS/cranial settling, it began at birth, when I was born with cerebral palsy and scoliosis.
Christine has been involved with ASAP for many years. She holds awareness events, fundraisers and attends the conference.
Cody
My name is Jill. I live in Colorado, with my husband Paul, and two sons, Cody and Michael. ASAP has been a blessing to us all.
One Of Those Happy Stories
This story is Meg’s journey with Chiari and how one can overcome the worst.
Bill
BillIt all started for Bill after a motor vehicle accident in August of 1995. After being released home from the hospital, he quickly returned to work but the problems were obvious: forgetfulness, leaving his vehicle running in the parking lot, passing out at his desk and car, tremors, migraines, personality changes, anger, then a seizure.
Doctors suggested it “was all in his head”, but Bill kept searching for answers. Finally he was diagnosed with syringomyelia. Shortly therafter he underwent surgery and with the help of a team of physicians, is still learning to cope.
Bill has many serious challenges including continuing pain, bowel and bladder dysfunction, lack of sensation, and a host of skin problems, to name just a few. He has a neuro stimular for his bladder and a percutaneous cecostomy that helps with bowel functions. He says,”Life goes on”.
Bill lives in Alaska with his wife and kids and his hobbies include: electronics including repair, antique autos and woodworking. He is also active in his local church.
Kimberley
Kimberly was diagnosed at the age of three with idiopathic syringomyelia. She underwent a major surgery to have a syrinx shunt placed in 1999 but her relief was short lived. After consulting with a more experienced neurosurgeon, the family learned that Kimberly actually had Chiari malformation and a tethered cord which were the cause of her syrinx. Once these conditions were treated, her syrinx decreased significantly. Kimberly has a VP shunt for pseudotumor cerebri and she has been diagnosed with osteoporosis and Ehler-Danlos syndrome. She lives with chronic leg pain and uses a wheel chair to get around more comfortably. Her life changed dramatically in 2005 when she got her assistance dog, Lace.
Dana
Dana lives in Connecticut and was diagnosed with syringomyelia from C-5 to conus in June of 2008. Her colorful hat hides a shaved head. Severe head pain had her literally “pulling her hair out”, so she finally gave up and shaved it off.
She has a wide variety of symptoms including neck, arm, and back pain, numbness, hand swelling, short term memory loss, fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate, dizziness and fatigue. Currently, she is still waiting for further neurosurgical consults.
Keegan and Kaylee
This brother and sister have something in common after all! Both have the same diagnosis. Keegan was diagnosed at the age of eight with Chiari malformation and syringomyelia. He was born with Hydronephrosis, an extra digit, benign heart murmur, allergies/asthma/a food allergy, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome. He had decompression surgery in June of 2008.
Kaylee is the older of the two but was diagnosed after Keegan. She was diagnosed with Chiari at age 11. She had a decompression surgery in December of 2008. Prior to surgery, she had daily headaches, motor skill issues, dizziness, blurred vision, urinary frequency/urgency issues, intolerance to heat, and numbness/tingling/pain in her limbs. Today, both kids are doing fairly well.
Glenna
Glenna has had scoliosis for as long as she can remember. It was never much of a problem until Christmas Eve 2004. Suddenly, out of no where, Glenna experienced the most excruciating pain she’d ever had. It started in her spine and wrapped around to the front of her rib cage, up to her neck, and seemed to “attack” her left shoulder. She says, “The pain was so intense that I thought I was going to die – literally.”
After consulting with several neurosurgeons, she was diagnosed with idiopathic syringomyelia. She has not had surgery and currently is being treated at a pain clinic. It took her a couple of years before she could finally wrap my mind around what was going on and accept it. She says, “I don’t dwell on what might or might not happen in the future. I live each day the best I can and remember that each day is a gift and there are no guarantees.”
Roz
Roz was diagnosed at the age of 48 with both Chiari and syringomyelia. She had a decompression surgery in 1999. The surgery was successful in providing relief of her debilitating headaches. She still has a syrinx and manages her remaining symptoms with the help of a pain specialist. Roz is a regular participant on the ASAP message board and enjoys answering questions for people when she can. Over the years she has learned how to cope with living with the uncertainties of a chronic disorder. She says, “more worry means more pain. What helps me cope is to focus on something else and try to get outside more.”
The Kelly Family
For the Kelly family, Chiari and syringomyelia are a family affair. It took 20 years for mom, Jennifer, to finally receive a diagnosis of Chiari after years of being dismissed by various physicians. She lives in New York with her husband, Tom, and children: Michael, Katie, and Gracie.
Although she was told it was very unlikely her children could be affected, Jennifer had a nagging suspicion they were. She had to fight to get MRI’s for her children, and it was then that her worst fears were confirmed. All three had the condition. Gracie, the youngest, was the most seriously affected. She had a dangerously large syrinx and needed immediate surgery. Today, mom and two of her children have undergone surgery for the condition. Jennifer and her family continue to advocate for greater awareness and research. Watch the video below and hear Jennifer share the struggles she has faced.
Shananne Hutter
My name is Shananne Hutter and up until the age of 30 I had a happy, normal life. In 1999, I was involved in a car accident. I was having all kinds of symptoms, ranging from seemingly minor things like tinnitus (ringing in my ears), to major headaches and neck and shoulder pain. I was diagnosed with syringomyelia.
Nicole
Over the past four years, I have been honored to be one of the recipients of the Bobby Jones Open Scholarship for people with Syringomyelia or Chiari malformation. Thanks to your generous support, I successful Graduated from the University of Texas at Austin this May with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical Engineering and Minor in Business Administration.