Jennifer O. In February of 2005 Jennifer embarked on a journey of the unknown that would change her life forever. We are happy and thankful to say that Jennifer HAD a rare disease called Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP). This disease was slowly physically and permanently debilitating her and ultimately could have been fatal if some intervention had not been done. CIDP is an auto-immune/neurological disease. Jennifer has undergone an autologous stem cell transplant and since April 1, 2006 Jennifer has been in remission. Jennifer is the first person in the United States and only the second in the world to have undergone this transplant for her disease. Today Jennifer is doing well and living a relatively normal life.
Journal
Saturday, April 4, 2015 9:47 PM CDT I can't believe it's been 10 years! This past week on Wednesday April 1st I celebrated my 10 year anniversary of my stem cell transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. I was the first person with CIDP to go through this procedure and it has been so successful in treating my CIDP and has provided a miracle of healing for me. I am no longer on any treatment for CIPD, and it's been this way for approximately 8 years. I have been able to return to work full time as a nurse. I recently did have a small concern, because I was having pain in my feet and mild numbness/tingling, but my neurologist examined me and I had my full reflexes and did an EMG and there was no evidence at all of CIPD. Praise God! I'm just so grateful for the new life I've been given as a result of the doctors and nurses at Northwestern as well as God's divine intervention; a life free of hospitalizations, IVIG, immunosuppressive drugs, plasmapheresis, and debilitating weakness and fatigue. Instead I am a strong, healthy wife and mother. I am so hopeful for what this treatment can do for others with CIDP. I am honored to be the pioneer for this hopeful treatment for CIDP and it is my prayer that many others will have new hope and experience healing from this terrible disease like I have been blessed with.
Jennifer
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Hospital Information: Jen is now in remission and has been symptom, medication and treatment free since April 1, 2005 Northwestern Memorial Hospital 251 E. Huron Chicago, IL
Links: http://www.cidpusa.org CIDP Information http://www.ninds.nih.gov/ CIDP Information http://www.nmh.org Northwestern Memorial Hospital Information
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