Jordyn has been a gymnast since the age of 2 and breathes this sport like I breathe air.  A simple foot pain and suspected tendonitis led us to a specialist and a walking boot which quickly triggered CRPS.  Unable to flex her right foot, bear weight, or even touch her own skin at times, she was given crutches and a referral to physical therapy.  While her physical therapist was clearly knowledgeable of her condition, the therapy occasionally led to worsening pain which didn’t respond to the countless topical patches and creams, over-the-counter pain relievers, ice and heat I hoped would help.  In utter desperation, I scheduled her with a local pain management provider who offered the conventional nerve blocks and discussed medications such as gabapentin before looking her in the face and telling her “You know this is probably never going away right?”  In that moment, I knew it was up to me to find her the help she needed.  

My research and the miraculous story of another 8-year-old CRPS warrior, led me to Scrambler Therapy.  Jordyn’s pain was worsening as was my desperation to help her, so we quickly scheduled her for treatments and left 2 days later, driving over 11 hours to a reputable scrambler clinician.  Jordyn responded immediately with a decrease in pain from a 7 out of 10 to 2 out of 10, and her face showed apprehension but grateful relief.  Each subsequent treatment was the opportunity to learn more about this miraculous therapy and extend her pain relief.  It took 11 treatments before she finally reached a zero, and while still hooked to Scrambler, we put on her shoes, and she literally jumped for joy while tears rolled down both our faces.  Each day we came to understand more of her pain triggers and techniques to decrease her symptoms with day 12 bringing significant pain brought on by the frustration of math homework of all things (insert eye roll here).  Treatment 13 was to be her last before we had to return home, having already extended our stay by an extra day–after all, no one wants to go out on a bad note.  Finally, day 13 was the day all our prayers and those of family and friends were answered when she finally hit 0 and managed to stay there for 36 straight hours.  Two days later she was back in the gym, and less than a week later, competing every event at a gymnastics meet, medaling in each one.

The help and support we found through numerous online groups of CRPS parents and warriors was priceless.  Unfortunately, the stories of overwhelming suffering and treatment failure were devastating, so before we ever left for home and before she had even reached zero, I had shared with Jordyn my desire to help others through Scrambler Therapy.  As a Christian, I believe God uses all things for his good, and Jordyn’s experience leading me to a treatment I could offer others would most certainly be the good in her warrior story.