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Denise
Hello, I’m Denise from Silverton, Oregon.My journey begins with being a passenger in a head-on car accident December 26, 1987.I sustained a head concussion, broken collarbone, and the ulnar nerve (elbow area) in my right arm was impinged.After healing physically it seemed I never got my strength back.I was extremely fatigued, got bad headaches, had constant low-grade fever, swollen glands and always ill.In October, 1990 my family doctor, Olwyn K. Davies, MD diagnosed me with Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS).
In the spring of 1995 I saw Dr. Robert Bennett at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland with the following symptoms:
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Extreme fatigue |
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All over body pain |
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Extreme neck and shoulder pain |
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Terrible headaches |
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Chronic low grade fever |
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Dizziness |
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Hypoglycemia |
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Irritable bowel |
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Chest pain |
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Swollen glands |
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Insomnia |
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Sweats |
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Right arm pain |
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Right hand pain |
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Numbness |
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Pain and swelling in the lower left rib cage area |
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Feelings of heart racing |
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Constant upset stomach |
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Difficulty concentrating |
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Needed 12 hours of sleep - getting up a few times a night to urinate |
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Real sensitive to cold |
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Just felt like I had the flu all the time |
Dr. Bennett performed a tender point exam, blood tests, and diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Generally a good day was taking a shower and walking across the street to get the mail. A bad day was being in bed crying, physically sick from hurting so badly. Some days the fatigue was so great I had to mentally concentrate to breathe. I would think, “if only I didn’t have to breathe,” I was that tired.
In January 1998, Dr. Michael Rosner, a neurosurgeon, gave me a neurological examination and found irregularities. He recommended an MRI scan for Chiari malformation. I had the MRIs taken at Oregon Health Sciences University and even though they were read as normal I sent them to Dr. Rosner. His interpretation of my MRIs revealed a Chiari malformation and cervical spinal cord compression at C5-C7. Next, the MRIs were sent to Dr. Dan Heffez at the Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch to be read. He also found evidence of a Chiari malformation and compression at C5-C7. In March 1998 I flew to Chicago and endured two days of testing before undergoing craniectomy surgery for the Chiari malformation on the 27th.
Immediately after surgery I noticed my hands and feet were warm and “that” headache was a lot better. By my one month checkup, I could tell my concentration was better, almost all my lower body pain was completely gone, and the dizziness and heart racing were gone.
It has been almost two years now and I am a first time Mom, enjoying life once again. Most of my symptoms are completely gone. I would not go back to my life before the surgery.
I would like to take this time to publicly thank Dr. Rosner and Dr. Heffez with all my heart for giving back my life to me and my family.
Denise
National Fibromyalgia
Research Association
PO Box 500, Salem, OR 97308
