The diagnosis was bad enough, but just as distressing was that the treatment – anti-inflammatory drugs and chemotherapy – was aimed only at reducing symptoms. What Joan wanted to know about was the underlying cause.
‘Jeff was really sick by the time he agreed to see the doctor,’ she says. ‘He was numb on his left side and his feet were burning. When they ran tests on him, he also had signs of liver damage and little blood spots all over his shins and ankles.
‘When I asked the neurologist why he was so sick, she said Jeff needed to stop drinking. That was flippant and made me angry because Jeff didn’t touch alcohol.’
The encounter sent Joan off on a search for a better approach and, in May 2009, Jeff became one of the first people on earth to have a new and controversial operation based on the radical CCSVI theory. Seven months later, the improvements have been dramatic. ‘”Jeff had immediate and profound relief from very severe fatigue,” says Joan.
‘Before the op he had trouble getting out of bed and needed naps during the day. Since then, he has had no MS attacks (when symptoms got much
worse). He still has leg pain, spasms and headaches, but these are less than before.”
Source: Daily Mail Associated Newspapers Ltd (12/01/10)
