How far would you go to relieve a loved one of their pain? Chances are, the answer is, “anywhere.”
Videos by InspireMore
That’s how Melanie Wilford of Manchester, England felt about her 11-year-old son, Dillon. Seemingly overnight, Dillon woke up in November 2021 in excruciating pain. His right leg was swollen, discolored, and painful to the touch. In fact, his leg hurt so much he couldn’t even wear socks or trousers, much less put any weight on it.
For more than a year, Dillon was in agony. He spent the night screaming in pain, begging to have his leg amputated. At one point, he even told his family that he wanted to die.
Doctors were stumped about the cause of his pain. He went through test after test, but no one could figure out what was making his leg so painful. Finally, they discovered Dillon has a rare condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), an ailment so bad it’s known as the “suicide disease.”
CRPS is one of the most intensely painful conditions in the medical books, ranking higher on the pain scale than cancer and childbirth. Armed with a diagnosis, Melanie began searching for treatment options to relieve Dillon’s pain but quickly discovered that there weren’t many options in the United Kingdom.
That’s when she discovered a groundbreaking new machine that targets chronic pain like Dillon’s. It’s called a VECTTOR machine, and it uses electro-stimulation based on acupuncture to stimulate nerves. The only trouble? The machines are only available in Houston, Texas.
Melanie couldn’t book the airline tickets fast enough.
In Houston, Dillon met with pain management experts and tried the VECTTOR machine. The results were instantaneous and life-changing. After just one session, Dillon’s pain eased and he was able to put a little weight on his leg. His circulation visibly improved, and he could even put on socks, pants, and shoes for the first time in a year. Most importantly, Dillon’s smile finally returned.
“It was just so good seeing him having fun and smiling because the majority of that pain had then gone,” said Melanie. “He could touch his leg, and he had his shoes on for the rest of the day.”
Melanie purchased a VECTTOR machine for £5,000 (about $5,333) and brought it back home to England. Dillon now uses it for 40 minutes every day, twice a day. Eventually, he’ll be able to drop one of those sessions as his pain continues to lessen. He still does physical therapy to regain strength in his leg.
Dillon’s entire family is healing after their year-long ordeal. They’re all breathing a huge sigh of relief that Dillon’s agony has subsided, and they’re hopeful that his condition continues to lessen with time. For now, they’re celebrating the milestones they very nearly missed out on experiencing, like Dillon’s first day of high school!
These are the stories that scientists and researchers dream of hearing! It’s incredible what they can do with technology today, and it’s beautiful to see it being used to create real-life “miracles” for families like Dillon’s.
Don’t forget to share this story to wish Dillon a full recovery.
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