Name of patient George Checchi
Email:
jennifer.checchi@sbcglobal.net
Adult: 35 years old
City and state: Stockton, CA. USA
Area of body affected: Arms and legs
Personal History:
I was born with Cerebral Palsy and was diagnosed with the disease Osteopoikilosis. The Pediatrician, Dr. Kat, just happened to know about the disease because his son was born with it as well. Dr. Kat ( my only resource) died was I was six years old. I wondered why I was always in excruciating pain. I was told to see an Orthopedic surgeon to help me with the pain. The Orthopedic surgeon did surgery on my knee thinking that would stop some pain. It wasn't until I was 32 that I went to see a Neuro-Skeletal specialist, Dr. Michael Hevor, that I found out that the simple CP and Osteopoikilosis was actually Melorheostosis. Unfortunately, for me, Dr. Hevor is no longer in the United States and other Neurologists do not know of the disease and are not willing to research in order to help. I was told by my Orthopedic Surgeon that they wanted to scrape my bones, but the surgery is too painful and will not help. I am currently on social security because there are some days that I simply can not even get out of bed due to the pain. I just lay in bed, in a fetal position and cry. I feel like I am completely alone. No one in my family understands the true meaning of the excruciating pain that I endure on a daily basis. I have struggled with drug addiction to ease the pain, but the drug addiction is no longer an option for me. I am only 35 years old and I feel like I am about 70 and I take at least 7 different prescriptions daily in order to try to stop the pain and the debilitation.