Many of you may not know but I have had a medical condition for about the last 25 years.  It first started in 1987 I started collapsing for no apparent reason but the problem was so infrequent that I didn’t see any need for alarm. As the years have gone by however the frequency of these events have become much more apparent and trying. In the year 2007 the frequency was such that I began collapsing at work. Since I worked at the Telephone Company, between driving and working around technical equipment I couldn’t continue on with the status quo therefore I was forced to retire from a career I really loved. In the last 5 years this collapsing had advanced to the point that I was not able to leave the house, my drivers’ license was suspended and I was collapsing multiple times each day. When I say collapsing I mean 200 lbs hitting the ground as if I was plugged in and the plug was pulled out. After visiting the VA doctors for almost 2 years with all test appearing to be normal it appeared like I would just die from hitting my head on something in one of the daily collapses.

   Update: My primary care physician finally experimented (after speaking with a colleague) with putting a soft collar on my neck. This has become the answer to my prayers, it turns out that when I first put the collar on, my wife said my eyes became brighter and my movements were no longer overshadowed with a lethargic overtone. I now have to wear this collar for a month and a half then see the doctor again to place a permanent Philadelphia collar on me. It looks like I will have to wear this collar for the rest of my life.

 An overlooked MRI showed that my spinal column is closing in around my spinal cord which causes some of my everyday neck movements to interfere with the normal blood flow of my spinal cord to the brain. I have now been diagnosed with Caratid Synus Syndrome. 

Thank you for reading

Wayne