Morgan’s Update
Hello, my name is Morgan Nahanee and I was one of the beneficiaries of this year’s WAMS fundraiser. I want to start by thanking everyone who attended or donated in any fashion. I feel so lucky to have found the WAMS foundation, and I am so grateful for all the help and support I have received from them.
I went for CCSVI treatment less than a week after the fundraiser. I had being feeling marginally better pre-surgery due to a steroid treatment recommended by my neurologist. With the support of my family we drove down to Seattle the day before my surgery. We spent some good quality time together and the next morning I made my way to the Vascular Access Center’s Seattle office. All the staff were wonderful and I was treated very well. We met Dr. McGuckin and talked a little about the risks of surgery and then it was time to get prepped for the procedure. The whole experience was really painless and I was only in surgery for about 45 minutes. They found 4 blockages in my azygos vein, my left jugular vein was 50% blocked, my right jugular vein was 70% blocked, and my left iliac vein was 80% blocked.
Having normal blood flow restored was a great feeling, as soon as I regained consciousness after surgery I started feeling better. I’ve been asked a lot recently about what has changed and I’m still having a hard time finding the right words to describe my experience.
I feel good.
I had nerve pain that was ranging from 8-10 out of 10, and that is gone. I feel as though a haze has been cleared from my mind and I can think clearly again. I want to say I’m feeling more energized but I think it’s the cognitive-fog lifting that has left me feeling more alert and less fatigued. My stamina is back and I’m feeling more like myself. I’ve also had a feeling of constant pressure and tension in my neck, and that is also gone. I’m not ‘cured’ or even 100% recovered from my latest MS relapse but my life has started to return to normal. I took my son on two outings today and played with him for hours! It was so wonderful to be able to pick him up and hug him and chase after him in the playground. It may sound cliché but honestly it’s those moments that are so priceless for me as a mother with MS. I’m planning on renewing my gym membership and using this opportunity to get my health back. I’m hoping that by building up my strength and getting my gluten free diet tuned up, as well as taking the right supplements that I can extend this ‘remission’ for as long as possible.
Again my sincerest thanks for your contributions that have allowed me to get my life back.
