He then underwent a second surgery on the opposite side. Michael was quickly admitted for his first decompression surgery, which included removing part of his first rib. ![]() Though she and her family were living in Windermere, Florida at this time, she booked an urgent appointment with an out-of-state surgeon who came highly recommended for treating TOS. Finally, Kerri learned that Michael’s symptoms aligned with those of Neurogenic (N)TOS. There were countless visits to the family’s primary care physician and referrals to specialists including pulmonary, cardiac, neurology and orthopedic physicians. Michael turned to his mother for help when the pain worsened and coupled with other symptoms including migraines and collarbone pain as well as weakness in his shoulder, arms and hands.įor the next two years, Kerri searched for a solution to her son’s pain. An avid athlete since childhood, he’d learned at a young age to manage similar symptoms related to his sports-induced asthma. Michael Smart was 12 years old when he first began experiencing severe chest pains. Kerri describes the family’s journey with this elusive disorder and the steps they took to pursue the best possible treatment. Over the past few years following Michael’s treatment, Kerri and her daughters have all sought consultation from Dr. It took nearly two years for them to be characterized and longer for the family to discover Dean Donahue, MD, the director of the Mass General TOS program. Originally from Massachusetts, Michael was the first to exhibit symptoms. Kerri and three of her children-her son Michael and twin daughters Ashtyn and Brett-have been gradually diagnosed with the disorder over the past decade and treated at Massachusetts General Hospital. Billing, Insurance & Financial Assistanceįor the past 10 years, Kerri Smart’s life has been a blur of doctor appointments, late-night Internet searches and frustration, all because of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS), a disorder that results from compression or irritation of the nerves and blood vessels at the base of the neck and front of the chest underneath the collarbone.
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