Sara’s Story

My name is Sara Davis and I have Fibromyalgia.

My symptoms came on when I was 14, after a severe case with Mono. Before that I had been healthy and happy all of my life. I earned my black belt in Tae Kwon Do; played soccer; and just had a lot of fun. I had no idea it was possible to become so sick almost overnight. The pain was almost unbearable. I missed a lot of school, but the worst part was that I couldn’t participate with my friends. My parents took me to doctor after doctor. Not only did the doctors not help me, I honestly felt like they didn’t care and wouldn’t be able to make me well. After several months I became very, very depressed and didn’t know what to do. There were times when I didn’t think I could live.

Then my parents discovered a treatment center in Portland, Oregon.

When they first took me there I thought it would be no different than all the other doctors I had gone to. The first difference was that Dr. Elzinga, and the staff really cared. They took a lot of blood and the thought of being poked every week with an IV was almost more than I could take. But Vicki, the nurse decided that a PICC line would be best for me and I wouldn’t need to get poked every week.

It really was not bad and after a few weeks I started feeling better and better. The fibro is not completely gone, but I am feeling wonderful most of the time and loving my life again. I am again very involved in theatre at school and have even enrolled in an intensive 9 week, 6 days a week kick boxing and nutrition class!

I can’t thank everyone who had a part of making me better; I can honestly say the center gave me my life back.

Before Treatment Unbearable pain Couldn’t participate with friends Depression After Treatment “I am feeling wonderful most of the time and loving my life again!”