Wednesday Walker Spotlight – Casey

Wednesday Walker Spotlight – Casey Sullivan by Chris Scott & Casey Sullivan
 
Hey Walkers!! First off lets give everybody a gentle pat on our ol crooked backs for some A.S. Kickin’ step numbers this week!! GREAT JOB!!
This week I’d like you all to meet Casey Sullivan, Team Capt. of Team Kicking A.S. and Taking Names. Casey is a Paramedic from New York and the team is made up of fellow First Responders, Firefighters, Nurses, Family, Friends and even a West Point Cadet..
Casey received her diagnosis at the age of 21, but her Dr. speculates that she has had A.S. since age 12. Like so many ladies with A.S., Casey went through all of misdiagnosis nightmares throughout her teenage years and by 16 had pretty much given up trying. Her mom was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis and during a conversation with her rheumy, her mom told him about Casey and her struggles with pain and mobility. Her mom’s rheumy asked if Casey would come in for some blood tests, x-rays, and MRI the whole deal.. It was then that she finally got the validation that she had been looking for.. Looks like she wasn’t crazy after all.
Like so many of us, her biggest challenge is getting motivated to move. Even though we know we’ll feel better and that its really good to move all of those joints, sometimes its just easier to stay in bed or parked in our favorite recliner.
Casey and her team are walking to raise awareness of A.S. among the Emergency Personnel and First Responders that she works with. This is a huge group of people that need to be brought up to speed on how to handle and care for those of us with A.S and it’s related problems.. We don’t fit the molds of the “normal” patient in the field. And many First Responders haven’t even heard of A.S. let alone tried to make a bent, fused body fit on a cot, or how to do chest compressions on someone who’s ribs are fused.
Casey’s message to us is that A.S isn’t a Death Sentence! We might have to change the way we do some things, and make adjustments in the way we live and enjoy life, but don’t give up.
Here are some photos of Casey’s Team – Kickin’ A.S. & Taking Names!

Thank you Casey for all you do for us, and for helping to raise awareness in the EMS community..
 
Chris
 
If you would like to be a Wednesday walker Spotlight or have a team member with an interesting story to tell, Contact Chris Scott
at facebook.com/WalkYourASOff or facebook.com/MoCoChris