Alessa's Reach for Recovery

Thank you for visiting Alessa's website. Alessa is a 22 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 doing remarkably well as a result of the ketamine coma. She can walk and go out with her friends and enjoy life again.

She continues to go for outpatient 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, one set in July and one set in October. She's due for another set in January. For now, Dr. Schwartzman wants her to get boosters every three months to help her stay in remission. She needs to take things easy and not rush into life. Doing too much too soon can bring the RSD pain back.

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

Alessa will be going for the "after" functional MRI of the brain at McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA in November. She had the "before" MRI on the way to Germany in March 2008. Alessa is part of the research on how chronic pain changes the brain. Hopefully, her test results will eventually help in finding a cure for RSD/CRPS.

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

Thank you to everyone who contributed to Alessa's Reach for Recovery. Your generous monetary donations and your prayers made it possible for Alessa and her parents to travel to Germany for the medical treatment that gave Alessa her life back. Alessa and her family are forever grateful.