Chapter 25: Teddy’s Story Begins

Welcome to Chapter 25 of the Blog Series Journeys to Health!

This week we begin Chapter 25 with Teddy’s story. He had always experienced pain and dysfunction to a certain degree, but it really
became exacerbated once he turned 30. Teddy was struggling to function properly – he couldn’t walk or think straight. He was going
back and forth with a plethora of neurologists trying to figure out the source of his issues.

What happened with your health that brought you to work with Nancy?

Teddy: I was going back and forth with all different kinds of neurologists and doing tests. They were saying that it was MS and it was
finally confirmed maybe when I was like 31 or 32. And then I went to every hospital in Boston, from Beth Israel to the Baptist to Lahey.

Nancy: I remember you telling me once that you saw a pretty famous neurologist who said he wasn’t even sure that you had MS,
remember that?

Teddy: I’m trying to think of where I saw him.  I wonder, because I remember his name, Dr. Kari Stefansson.  And he’d just – after looking
at all the tests – he goes, “yeah I don’t think you have MS. I don’t know what you have, but I don’t think you have MS.”  And he was like
the only one… but every other neurologist that I went to confirmed the studies, confirmed the – all the tests I had done.  But there was just
that one doctor that I always – you know, remember what he had said and I always had it in the back of my mind. He was a specialist
and then he went on to research in Iceland and started the biotechnology company deCODE genetics.

How much pain/dysfunction health did you have before working with Nancy?

Teddy: The big thing was that I wasn’t able to walk three minutes.  I mean, my legs would give out, I’d struggled to go to the mailbox…
And you know, today I’m not cured but I’m able to walk 30 minutes a day.

Nancy: Yeah, it’s amazing. You were in quite a bit of dysfunction and pain when you came to my practice.  Although, Dr John Marchese
was doing a really good job of trying to keep your condition from spiraling out of control before he referred you to my practice, but you
were – the pain was significant.

Teddy: Yeah, my gait is a lot better now.

Nancy: Your brain is a lot better!

Teddy: Yeah, Yeah. You know, my bowels and bladder are in control now. Before, I couldn’t leave the house, I would say five days out of
the week. Now, I still have off days, but I feel comfortable going to places and driving in a car.