Spasticity 2018 Update: Mandeville Woman Walks Again
Mary Newton was told three years ago that she would never walk again after suffering a spinal injury.
She saw Dr. Andrea Toomer of Culicchia Neurological Clinic, who recommended intrathecal baclofen therapy to ease the spasticity that had tightened Mary’s back and leg muscles to the point of paralysis.
Practicing at Just Breathe Yoga
Two years after her first appointment with Dr. Toomer, Mary is walking, riding a bike and practices yoga, thanks to a surgically implanted pump that delivers medication around the clock, a commitment to aggressive physical therapy and positive attitude.
“I got my life back,” Newton said, as she finished riding the 3-wheel bike her family gave her for mother’s day. “Slowly but surely I started to see signs that I might walk again. I am very blessed to have gotten to this point.”
Spasticity patient reports on progress after receiving a Baclofen Pump
2017
Mary Newton came to Culicchia Neurological Clinic after suffering a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Not only was she unable to move her legs, she also suffered from painful spasms. She was unable to get any relief from oral medications. They provided only minimal benefit and caused intolerable side effects.
Mary responded very well to the Baclofen pump implant which is able to deliver the medication directly to the affected site. In the video below, produced in 2017, Mary and her husband Kenneth report on the difference it made in their lives soon after receiving the pump.
