Geraldine Wagner has been dealing with MS, an unpredictable and often disabling disease of the central nervous system, for over 20
years. According to research, MS attacks the myelin, a protective

covering around the nerves in the brain and neck.

Up until the past few years, Mrs. Wagner noticed little change in the progression of the disease. She described her symptoms as mild and
sometimes menacing, but they never impacted her quality of life.

“My finger and thumb were numb,” said Mrs. Wagner of her earliest symptom. She also felt a shock sensation whenever she bent her neck and
on occasion, she staggered.

“It was nothing. I lived basically MS-free,” said Mrs. Wagner. “I was still pretty mobile.”

About three years ago, Mrs. Wagner started tripping. At first it was not often but as time passed, it was becoming more and more frequent.

“Then I got worried,” she said.

Fearing that MS would begin to deteriorate her mobility, Mrs. Wagner started taking injections in hopes the medication would stop its
progression. But her body didn’t respond to the treatment and her

symptoms gradually worsened.

When she looked back over the past few years, Mrs. Wagner said she could see her health slowly declining. She noticed that she was often
unsteady. Extreme fatigue forced her to stop working full time and even

more difficult, she was requiring the use of a cane to keep her balance.

“I was nowhere near three and a half years ago, as where I am today,” said Mrs. Wagner. Her hopes that the injections would enable her
to maintain her current level of functioning completely diminished. “It

[MS] was progressive and it wasn’t slowing down.”

However, Mrs. Wagner’s hopes have once again been renewed when she began to hear more about a controversial treatment for MS.

Liberation treatment was discovered by Dr. Paolo Zamboni from Italy. Through research, he found MS patients had abnormal veins – he called
this condition chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI).

Basically he found that the veins coming from the brain along the neck and upper chest were either restricting or blocking the flow of
blood.To unblock the blood vessels, Dr. Zamboni used an angioplasty to widen

the narrowed or obstructed blood vessel. Balloon therapy is not an

untested medical procedure. It is often used to treat patients with

coronary artery disease. But using the technique to improve blood flow

in MS patients is new.

An empty and collapsed balloon on a guide wire is passed into the narrowed locations and then inflated. The balloon catheter opens the
blood vessels and improves blood flow.

With renewed hope, Mrs. Wagner began to investigate the possibility of receiving such a treatment in Canada. In August, she had an
ultrasound that confirmed narrowed veins in her neck.

Thousands of patients throughout the world have reported varying degrees of symptom relief, including increased energy, improved
mobility, increased sensation and improved bladder control and vision.

As a result of the anecdotal evidence, Mrs. Wagner hoped that the Canadian government would at least begin looking into this treatment as
an option for those suffering from MS.

But the federal government announced a few months ago there wasn’t enough evidence to proceed with Canadian clinical trials to investigate
the CCSVI treatment. The news has caused a great deal of backlash and

criticism from the MS community.

While the debate continues on the validity of the treatment, patients whose health is steadily declining are caught in the middle.
Mrs. Wagner is one such patient.

Since she no longer has hope the Canadian government will step in with funding for clinical trials, Mrs. Wagner has decided to take
matters into her own hands. She has opted to go elsewhere for treatment.

“My health cannot afford to wait,” said Mrs. Wagner. She said if her health continues to decline as it has been, she would need a wheelchair
within a year.

Currently Mrs. Wagner is on a waiting list in Rhode Island. She is expecting that won’t happen until around March. She is also considering
Albany, New York, if there is a cancellation.

“I want to go as soon as I can,” said Mrs. Wagner. She feels that every day she waits is another day closer to becoming disabled.

Since Canada isn’t providing the treatment, Mrs. Wagner has to pay for her own treatment and expenses. Her friends and family have been
rallying around her to help in any way possible to raise money. On

November 20 there is a penny auction at New Germany Elementary School.

She is also receiving donations at Wentzell’s Bottle Exchange.

Mrs. Wagner still has a long way to go to receive the CCSVI treatment outside of Canada. She is expecting the treatment and related
expenses could cost the family upwards of $15,000.

http://liberationtreatmentccsvi.com/2010/11/ms-patient-attempting-to-stave-off-disability/