My CIDP started in May of 1990 and I really knew something was wrong when playing over 35 year old softball in the outfield. I have never been a sprinter, but for a big boy I have surprised many.

While in the outfield in one particular game I remember like it was yesterday, every other ball hit, came to me. I would see the ball well and would tell my feet to gitty up and the top of my body would get ahead of my feet and down I would go!

After this happened the 5th or 6th time in the game, one of the Doctors we had on our team, ran out and took my place in the outfield and I was told to go into the dugout and sit down and not get back up until the end of the game.

Four years later after going to one Doctor after the other, I found out I had CIDP, my life hasn't been the same since!

How was I blessed with CIDP? We think it was from a bad Staph infection I had after a 2 level fusion in my neck in 1985. It came on slowly at first and then after the slow start it knocked me for a loop!

I went from walking to using a cane, then a walker and a wheelchair, I could then only crawl and thank God for my family to watch over and take care of me!

It is tough being struck down when you are in your prime of life (career wise and chronologically). I now live with a Morphine pump that runs 24/7 implanted in my stomach to control the severe pain CIDP brings (in my case) to my outer extremities. I also get Plasma Pheresis treatments in the hospital every 2 weeks to keep me mobile. I am just starting CelCept and pray that it will let me cut down on the P.P. treatments since they are knocking me for a loop!

I am one of many that suffer from this nasty disease and I do have a close friend in Australia that Pneumonia killed that was a result of her CIDP and that nothing was able to bring her relief from the disease!

:)
Tony Flores
CIDP
California, US