Rhode Island news
Update 2008: Surgery not a cure-all for North Providence man
01:00 AM EST on Sunday, December 28, 2008
Last spring, when Rhode Islanders learned about former North Providence High School honor student Matthew Irving and his fight with a rare ailment that left him in excruciating pain, they rallied in support.
For more than five years, physicians had tried to treat Irving, 21, for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome — a condition that Matthew himself first noticed after he underwent surgery on his foot in 2003 — only to see his condition grow worse. A year ago, his pain was so relentless that he had to lie motionless in a quiet, darkened room.
As a last resort, a doctor in Philadelphia, considered a leading expert in treating RSD/CRPS, recommended Matthew undergo an unusual procedure that would place him into a five-day coma induced by a massive dosage of the muscle relaxant ketamine.
The procedure, which is not allowed in the United States because of federal rules banning induced comas lasting more than two days, was not covered by the Irvings’ medical insurance. To help, town residents held numerous fundraisers — attracting donations from around the world — to send Matthew, his mother, Nancy, and his brother Daniel to Germany for the treatment.
The procedure did not go as planned. Matthew’s coma lasted far longer than expected, and he then spent five weeks in an intensive-care unit in a German hospital. When he emerged, he still suffered excruciating pain in his right leg and ankle. But the pain in the rest of his body had subsided.
In September, Matthew went for further treatment in Philadelphia. In a blog post on Sept. 17, his mother wrote: “Our days continue to have many challenges and obstacles, but with the continued grace of God, a door will be open for Matthew.”
— Journal Staff Writer Richard C. Dujardin
| Animal Behaviorist, Christine Johnson | |
| Sweetbriar provides opportunities for Tara Dodson and her daughter Avery | |
| Police seize large quantity of marijuana in Woonsocket |
More top stories
Position on gays shatters union of 2 Methodist churches
Most Viewed Yesterday
The hunt for Stephen Saccoccia’s hidden assets
Vehicle fatalities climb in R.I.
Suspect shot during struggle with undercover officer
Patriots journal: Belichick says Moss is smartest receiver he’s seen
Most active surveys
What's your favorite breakfast/lunch place?
React to Carcieri's veto of R.I.'s first saltwater fishing license
Are the Yankees on the brink of another dynasty?
Will you allow your children to be vaccinated against swine flu? Why or why not?
Is it a bad thing or a good thing that prostitution is legal in Rhode Island, indoors?
Most e-mailed in the last 24 hours
Reader Reaction









You must be logged in to contribute. Log in | Register Now!
You are logged in as screenname | Log Out
You are logged in, but do not have a "screen" name. Create a Screen Name