Nikki Ridgley's Recovery.

On October 4th of this year. Nikki suddenly became weak and collapsed. She found that she could not stand or move her arms and legs. We immediately took her to the Asante Three Rivers Hospital in Grants Pass, Oregon. After checking her for serious conditions and confirming it was not a heart attack or stroke, she was transferred to Rogue Regional Medical center to give her access to a team of neurologists to identify her condition.

Over the next few days, Nikki went through a battery of tests, including multiple MRI scans, X Rays, blood work and neurological testing. Her temporary paralysis gave way to tremors and general weakness, difficulty putting sentences together (delayed speech), and "brain fog." The doctors kept her under observation for over a week while her husband, children and mother watched over her. She progressed enough that she was able to be discharged on Tuesday, October 10th, still unclear on the cause of her incident.

Nikki is a dedicated mother of 5, including a 22 year old daughter currently enrolled in college, an 8 year old son, and a 16 year old son with severe autism who requires significant, 24 hour care. She is part of the board of directors for her youngest son's elementary school PTA, a CNA doing in-home care for disabled adults, and a force of nature in her own right. She is married to her husband, Sean, whom she has been with for nearly 20 years. She and her husband both work to support their family, with Sean leaving town for 2-3 days a week.

Unfortunately, while Nikki has improved, her tremors, cognitive issues and weakness have left her unable to work or provide care for her disabled son. This has resulted in not only the loss of her income, but both her and Sean's income as Sean now has to step in and provide care for both Nikki and their son, leaving him unable to work.

Nikki is determined to get better, and is working with a variety of doctors who are attempting to understand and treat her illness. She is a fighter and is determined to get better, but has no clear timeline on her recovery while her doctors work to find answers, which may take some time.