A 31-year-old woman has shared how she suffers from the same “stiff person syndrome” that Celine Dion struggles with.
Jomana Houssari, from Florida, developed this rare disorder in 2018, which causes stiffness and spasms throughout her body, turning her into a “human statue.”
The aspiring police officer said she will eventually be confined to a wheelchair, but is determined to “make the most of the time” she has left and raise awareness about her condition.
Celine was forced to pause her world tour and take a step back from her singing career in December 2022 after revealing she was suffering from the same incurable condition, which is believed to affect one in a million people.
She made a stunning appearance yesterday at the 2024 Grammys, taking the stage with the support of her eldest son Rene-Charles Angelil, 23, to cheers and a standing ovation and presenting Album of the Year to Taylor Swift, who was later criticized in the social networks. for supposedly “whitewashing” Celine.
Jomana Houssari, from Florida, developed this rare disorder in 2018 that causes stiffness and spasms throughout her body, turning her into a “human statue.”
Celine made a stunning appearance yesterday at the 2024 Grammys (pictured), taking the stage with the support of her eldest son Rene-Charles Angelil, 23, to cheers and a standing ovation and presenting Album of the Year to Taylor Swift , who was later criticized. on social media for allegedly “whitewashing” Celine
Stiff person syndrome is a progressive, incurable neurological condition in which the body attacks nerve cells, causing spasms and stiffness.
Early signs of the condition include painful muscle contractions in the legs and back. Spasms can also affect the abdomen, arms, and face.
This can lead to a stiff posture, difficulty walking, and falls. More women are affected than men and symptoms develop more frequently in people aged 40 to 50 years.
It is not clear what causes stiff person syndrome, but it is thought to be an autoimmune disorder, when the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissues.
Most people with this condition have unique antibodies in their blood that interfere with neurotransmitters in the brain, causing twitches and twitches.
Ms Houssari told DailyMail.com she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome after 20 operations to repair damage caused by a car accident. It is unclear if the surgeries are related to her diagnosis.
He already suffered from multiple autoimmune and neurological conditions, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, which causes the immune system to attack the nerves and eventually paralyze the entire body.
Ms. Houssari has had medical problems since birth, but her SPS symptoms began after undergoing surgery to repair damage sustained in a major car accident. After the accident, she had more than 20 surgeries.
Before her diagnosis, Ms. Houssari was studying criminal justice and aspired to be a police officer.
Mrs Houssari asked her doctors to test her for stiff person syndrome after suffering spasms.
While the condition is difficult to diagnose, blood tests, scans, and a lumbar puncture, which involves taking a sample of cerebrospinal fluid from the gyrus, can rule out other conditions and detect signs of the disorder.
“It was a month-long wait to get the results, but it was finally confirmed that he did indeed have stiff person syndrome,” Mrs Houssari said.
“Getting the diagnosis was a relief, but thinking about the future is quite scary,” said Mrs Houssari.
‘Right now, my symptoms include muscle spasms throughout my body. When these episodes occur, I turn into a human statue and feel stiffness in my chest, face, arms, legs, and back.
Mrs. Houssari is just one of 330 Americans with stiff person syndrome. When she was first diagnosed, her doctor had never encountered the condition.
Houssari fears the day when her condition will leave her wheelchair-bound, but says she is determined to make the most of the time she has left.
“On top of that, I have to deal with slurred speech, memory problems, random fits of laughter followed by fainting, general weakness, tingling sensations in the head and body, and insomnia.”
At times, his spasms have caused bone fractures.
The symptoms have forced her to suspend her criminal justice studies and robbed her of what most would consider a “normal” life.
Managing his condition requires a rigorous routine of infusions every three weeks and twice-daily doses of baclofen (a muscle relaxant) to relieve spasms. He also takes potassium pills and thyroid medications.
“I face challenges in almost every aspect of my life, but I am determined not to give up,” she said.
‘Every small step forward fills me with an incredible sense of achievement. I have achieved things I never thought possible when I first became disabled.
“I cherish every moment, whether it’s sitting by the pool, binging horror movies on Netflix, or taking a walk on the beach on those days when I have the strength, collecting shells as I go.”
Ms Houssari said doctors had told her her condition would worsen and she would eventually be put in a wheelchair.
“I fear the day when I am confined to a wheelchair,” she said. “Until then, I am determined to make the most of the time I have left and raise awareness about MSF by sharing my story.”