CCSVI treatment gives local woman hopeful results

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Butcher is back home where she has begun physiotherapy to improve upon the results of her treatment.

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Judy Butcher and her daughter Lisa are shown atop a camel during their tour near the pyramids of Giza. Butcher seized the opportunity to visit this historic attraction while in Egypt for CCSVI treatment.

EMC News - It was an exhausting trip to the other side of the globe, but Judy Butcher got what she was looking for - some improvement to her Multiple Sclerosis (MS) symptoms.

Earlier last month the Smiths Falls area resident returned from her trip to Egypt where medical staff performed chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) treatment on her. According to Butcher, she immediately had improved colouration to her face. Other improvements that have been seen over time include better clarity in her voice, and reduced spasticity.

"It's not gone but it's definitely improved," Butcher said of her spasticity.

Butcher also reports having improved sleeping and better flexibility and circulation in the legs. Jeff Nix, a community support worker who has worked with Butcher for some time noticed these improvement between the ankle and knee just days after Butcher returned from Egypt.

"There's been an increase in temperature to the left foot," Nix added. "They are considerably warmer to the touch."

The process to achieving these improvements was a difficult one for Butcher who traveled to Egypt at her cost to have the procedure done. Despite the recent uprising in Egypt that ended with the leader being ousted, Butcher said she felt semi-safe. For their safety, clinic staff encouraged Butcher and her daughter to not smile or look at the military personnel who are guarding the banks, etc. in Egypt.

Medically, Butcher struggled with the language barrier and different approach of staff.

"I found them kind as a whole and caring," she said.

Despite the difficulty she faced, Butcher said she would not hesitate to do it again.

The local woman ultimately found a doctor to fill out her Out of Country OHIP form before leaving March 2, which was denied by health care. Butcher is appealing this decision to the review board. She feels CCSVI is a vascular disorder whose treatment has the side effect of potentially reducing MS symptoms.

RECOVERY

Recently, Butcher has enrolled into physiotherapy so that she can build on the benefits she experienced in Egypt. She is concerned that after-care is difficult to get for her and others who sought treatment outside of the country, yet very important.

"Everybody is doing it (the treatment) a different way," Butcher added. "If people have to keep going to other countries to have things done something is going to happen to someone else."

Her hope is that the Canadian medical community will approve the treatment to be done in Canada to provide assurances on how it was done and hopefully help emergency medical staff should a patient who has had CCSVI treatment done come in with complications.

LOBBYING

Erika Tasanko, an MS patient in the Ottawa area confirmed that demonstrations are being planned for May 5, 2011 at Queen's Park (Toronto) and Parliament Hill (Ottawa) as part of Global CCSVI day. As last year, supporters of CCSVI treatment hope to draw attention to this issue.

MP Dr. Kirsty Duncan's submitted list of questions to the government was never replied to after the mandatory 45-day period. Since this time the government has fallen, which has effectively killed the questions.

However, she did host an MPs breakfast March 10 where treated CCSVI patients were invited to tell their stories to the politicians who were in attendance.

http://www.emcsmithsfalls.ca/20110407/news/CCSVI+treatment+gives+local+woman+hopeful+results