CCSVI: the first steps

So here I sit... At CYVR.  Halfway to Orange County, California.  Hopefully my journey to a better life started at 5am this morning when my alarm went off and I set out for the airport.

I'm heading to a clinic in Costa Mesa called Synergy Health Concepts.  About 6 months ago I had heard of this clinic from a man named Dr. Bill Code.  Dr. Code was a canadian Anesthesiologist who lost his privileges to practice when he was diagnosed with MS back in the mid nineties.  When Western medicine had nothing to offer him and the disease he was living with, he switched his focus to alternative medicine choices and an altered diet.  I had just seen Dr. Code speak about CCSVI in Winnipeg during a cross-Canada tour he was doing to promote the procedure.  He, himself has gotten the procedure done at this very clinic in California.  He was advocating for CCSVI, the angioplasty procedure and his thoughts on the whole connections with MS.  Being a doctor himself, he KNEW the best of the best and in his opinion, he has WENT to the best of the best.  It was then and there that I decided I was going where that guy went!

Those who have no idea what I'm talking about when I say "CCSVI".... back in Nov '08, an Italian doctor names Paolo Zamboni shocked the MS world by announcing he believed that MS was caused by blocked, clogged or twists neck veins that was compromising the drainage of blood flow from the central nervous system.  He then devised a procedure involving angioplasty (or stenting) of certain veins in an attempt to improve blood flow.  He found that by doing angioplasty on these veins to open them up and return them to their proper shape, it very often reduced MS symptoms which gave MS patients their quality of life back.  This is when I started my intense research on the topic.  I can very honestly say that not a day has gone by since that revelation back in 2008 that I haven't opened my laptop to read or blog or chat or research the very topic.

Here is a sample of someone's stenosed veins vs. the opened vein after angioplasty.

About a year and a half of researching every aspect under the sun to do with CCSVI, I had made the decision to book an appointment.  I booked this appointment over 6 months ago.  At that time, there were openings within a few weeks but I wanted to give myself time to get my ducks in a row.  I wanted to make sure that I had made the right decision regarding Synergy and the doctors who would be performing my procedure.  I wanted to run it past all my doctors in Winnipeg and try to get at least ONE of them on board (remember, it's still considered an experimental procedure in Canada). I also wanted to make sure it was the best timing in regards to taking time off work.  I'll be temporarily losing my ATC license with Transport Canada once its done because of it not being approved in Canada.  Obviously, I'd like some down-time afterwards to relax and heal as well.  The fact that I've been off work since August due to things out of my control, it all worked out just fine.  If I hadn't already had my flights booked for today, I probably would have went sooner!

I joined a group on Facebook called Newport Beach/Coast Mesa CCSVI.  Here I could talk to many people who knew an awful lot about CCSVI.  I thought I had done my research thoroughly, but these guys gave me a run for my money!  There were links posted daily to medical journals, clinical trial results, newspaper articles, press releases, ongoing and upcoming conferences.  There was never a shortage of something to read.  This group of people were so on top of everything that was happening in the CCSVI world, it was astonishing.  I met people online who had the procedure themselves, and others who were going to be in the area at the same time as me.  What really surprised me was that one of the main interventional radiologists, a doctor who is performing this procedure on a daily basis at Synergy had joined the Facebook group as well.  He'd even respond to posts on occasion.  This is a prime example of how Facebook has changed the world for the good.  I can honestly say I've spent way less time creeping on profiles and MUCH more time being productive just by joining this group - LOL - Oh Facebook, how I love thee!

Anyway, as I sit in the Vancouver airport about to board my next flight, I can't describe to you how I feel.  Honestly.  It's not that I'm soooo excited or soooo nervous that I can't quite put it into words but I honest don't. know. how. I. feel.  It's like my emotions are turned off which is a very odd feeling for me, being the emotional wreck that I normally am - haha.  I suppose there's excitement and nervousness, but so far it hasn't hit me that the day has actually come.  One thing that's making me anxious is that there's a possibility that I won't see any changes or improvements and that this'll be a total waste of money, but I understand that I'll never know until I try.  Right now there are only a few things I know for sure:  I know that I'm very excited to see my parents when I get there and I'm also very sad that Sheldon couldn't come with me.  I have 2 days to enjoy the California sun before the big day on Tuesday and I plan to take full advantage of them.  Today, I'm living in the moment :)

Cali-4-ni-ayyy :)

H. xo