The ailment, known as atlanto-axial instability (AAI), essentially entails that her brain sinking into her spinal canal, with her skull sliding down onto her neck.
From Study Finds:
Melody Wakelin says she can barely walk and feels ”like a piece of furniture” rather than a human. The cause is a strange condition called atlanto-axial instability (AAI).
The 41-year-old is now facing a race against time to raise money for a pioneering surgery in Spain to hopefully correct her AAI.
The condition means her brain is sinking into her spinal canal and her skull is sliding down onto her neck. Even a slight bump on the head or sudden neck movement could “completely crush” her brain stem and lead to death in extreme cases.
According to Massachusetts General Hospital, this is a condition that “affects the bones in the upper spine or neck under the base of the skull. The joint between the upper spine and base of the skull is called the atlanto-axial joint.” AAI is more common among children with Down syndrome and is less common among adults.
The mother of two first fell ill in 2017, just three weeks after competing in a bodybuilding competition. Wakelin experienced symptoms including tremors, muscle spasms, vision problems and difficulty standing. She went to countless doctors and specialist over the years, but no one could find the cause of her issues. Doctors even suggested she might have Munchausen’s syndrome – where a person seeks medical attention for fake or self-inflicted symptoms.
After doing her own research, Melody found a leading spinal surgeon in Barcelona, Spain, who correctly diagnosed her with AAI in September 2023. Despite being unsure what caused the illness, the specialist believes it was connected to her condition Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome – which affects her connective tissue.
I hope Melody can find the assistance she requires in Spain.
It's truly saddening to witness a young mother, who was in perfect health just a few years ago, endure such a harrowing medical condition.
