Raise awareness on vascular disease
Seven months ago I lost my wife Pam to Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder in which the collagen in the body breaks down. Collagen is the glue that holds all our tissues together. The disease allowed her whole vascular system to slowly erode.
In the summer of 2007 Pam had emergency surgery to repair a dissection of her aorta after massive blood loss. Doctors say it is a miracle she survived and had no major brain damage.
Two more surgeries were required to repair aneurysms on her aorta. These surgeries required us to travel to Cleveland and Houston because there were no doctors able to handle her needs with EDS in Chicago.
May is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome awareness month. Please go to ehlersdanlosnetwork.org to learn more. Another place to learn about aortic warning signs is do a search for "Ritter Rule." Please help us spread the word and help raise awareness.
Ken Windisch
Bloomingdale