Alessa's Reach for Recovery

Thank you for visiting Alessa's website. Alessa is a 21 year old woman who has Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (RSD/CRPS). Prior to going to Germany on March 28, 2008 for the ketamine induced coma procedure, every day of her life since October 15, 2003 was lived in unimaginable burning pain. She couldn't walk and had to use a wheelchair for over three years. She was completely bedridden from March 2007 through March 2008. As a result of the ketamine coma, she was given a second chance at life.

This website has information on Alessa, her illness, the ketamine coma experience in Germany and what her life is like now.

Updates on Alessa
Alessa is still pain free and doing well as a result of the ketamine coma. She can walk and go up and down the steps on her own. She can go out with her friends and enjoy life again. It's truly a miracle!

She continues to go for ketamine boosters at Dr. Schwartzman's infusion suite. Each set of boosters is through an I.V. line for four hours a day over a two day period. She went for two sets of boosters in June. She'll be going again on July 16th and 17th. The last set of boosters will be in mid-October. If she continues to do well after the October boosters, she will then be considered in remission. Until then, she needs to take things easy and not rush into life. Doing too much too soon can bring the RSD pain back.

She still needs to go for the "after" functional MRI of the brain at McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA. The "before" and "after" MRI will show how chronic pain changes the brain. We haven't scheduled that appointment yet.

If you wish to read about Alessa's experience in Germany and what her life is like now, please click on the "Blog" tab.

Please keep Alessa and all those with RSD/CRPS in your prayers. There are currently two families in Germany and two families in Mexico going through the ketamine coma experience now. Please keep them in your prayers.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to Alessa's Reach for Recovery. A total of $42,000 was raised in donations. This was a tremendous help in offsetting our total expenses of approximately $75,000. We sincerely appreciate everyone's generosity in this endeavor to help Alessa get well again.