Join Olivia's fight against CECS

The parents of Olivia, along with her family and friends invite you to join Olivia on her journey as she is seeking treatment for a very rare condition that will help her be pain free and find joy again. Many of you may not know that she has been struggling silently with a medical condition that causes extreme pain, numbness, tingling, and swelling in her lower legs, this condition is called Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome(CECS). A condition that is hard to diagnose and the cause and prevention is unknown.

Olivia was a soccer player from the ages of 5-22 when her symptoms began in high school, and was diagnosed as chronic shin splints. Symptoms ramped up in college when she was playing on the TIU soccer team. Training consisted of running 3-5 miles a day and daily practices which would lead to lingering pain and numbness. The only suggestions recommended to her was icing and physical therapy, which would only give her temporary relief. It all came to a head in August 2023, when she took a high intense cycling class and was admitted into the hospital with severe rhabdomyolysis. This caused her protein numbers to rapidly increase into critical levels, leaving her barely able to walk. She even had a doctor dismiss the idea of compartment syndrome. After getting discharged from the hospital, she began a journey to figure out what had caused the rhabdomyolysis. This began numerous doctor’s visits, multiple blood draws, and various painful tests. All of these tests came back negative and left her without any answers or relief. Not giving up, she continued to push and advocate for herself, she finally found a doctor who would listen and sent her to a Doctor at Rush University Medical center in Chicago. After a MRI and CPT (Compartment Pressure Testing) which measures the pressure build up in the compartments of your lower legs and is extremely painful. In May of 2024 Olivia underwent the only option which was a fasciotomy which entailed 3 incisions in each leg with 58 stitches and was left with nerve damage in both legs. Exercising and running were no longer a part of Olivia’s daily life. Her parents and family watched her go from an athlete to someone who could no longer complete simple tasks of going to the store, walking to the end of the block, or walking up the stairs in her home without pain. Her only hope now is to be able to go for a run, teach in a classroom, and coach her team without crippling pain and numbness.

It was brought to our attention that there was another person within our own community that had a similar story. This person was kind enough to share with Olivia her experiences and is helping navigate an alternative solution to a second surgery. We are so thankful that God has placed her into Olivia’s life and she is not alone. She has directed us to look at this alternative treatment that she has had much success with, The McGinley clinic in Casper Wyoming has a 85-95% success rate with CECS. This method is designed to treat compartment syndrome permanently

, not just the symptoms. The clinic does not take just anyone but upon hearing Olivia’s story we are set to go to Wyoming, July 2nd for testing and her first treatment. The downside (and reason for this go fund me) is that the treatment is still experimental and is not covered by insurance which is a huge financial burden on her. Olivia is just about to start her first year of teaching 2nd grade and second year of coaching high school soccer. During all of this she is planning for her wedding in the summer of 2025. Her fiancé has been a great support and has stuck by her side through all of this.

Olivia has a big heart and we are so proud of how well she has pushed through the pain and continues to fight. She has a big personality and is the first person to crack a joke and make people laugh. Some of this has been dampened by this syndrome and we are hoping by the grace of God this treatment option will bring back the Joy in her life. Olivia does not like to draw attention to herself or worry others, and often does not share how much pain she really is in. She is so excited to start her new teaching job and believes that God has a plan for her through this. We are hoping this story will bring awareness to this illness and will help someone else who is battling CECS.

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.