MICHELLE Howlett was dealt a devastating blow in January 2012 when she suddenly started having difficulty swallowing, walking, or simply even breathing.

The primary school teacher, who lives in Kingston, found herself being overwhelmed by a barrage of other symptoms including tiredness, blurred vision, droopy eyes and nausea. She frequently felt off balance, found it difficult to climb stairs and eventually was robbed of her livelihood.

“It slowed me down and I had to stop working,” she explained.

Her husband, Errol, became the sole breadwinner and caregiver. His wife now credits him with giving her the support she needed to face her medical challenge. Howlett’s nine-year-old son, Brandon, too. Her father and co-workers also combined their efforts to help her deal with her debilitating illness.

Howlett went to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) seeking medical help and there realised that her life could be in danger.

She was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis disease, a fairly common neuromuscular ailment which leads to muscle weakness and fatigue.

Howlett was placed on medication to strengthen her muscles. However, the treatment was not as effective as she had hoped and the weakness and nausea persisted.

She was subsequently referred to Dr Francene Gayle, consultant neurologist and lecturer at UHWI, who told her about the new Spectra Optia Digital Plasmapheresis machine, donated by the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) Foundation, which could treat her illness.

“I did the treatment last October and two days later, I noticed marked improvements. My limbs, and especially my legs, got stronger. The blurred vision went away; my eyes could open and close without difficulty, and within a week I felt normal,” Howlett declared.

Dr Gayle explained that the Plasmapheresis machine, which is the first of its kind in the Caribbean, filters the blood of patients with myasthenia gravis, guillain-barre syndrome and neuro myelitis optica, and removes elements within the blood that cause patients to experience incapacitating symptoms.

“It increases the likelihood of returning critically ill patients to functional status, and more importantly, it will reduce the incidence of related deaths,” Dr Gayle outlined further.

The machine is used to treat paralysis and the debilitating symptoms of the three main neurological diseases, including the dependency of some patients on ventilators to ensure they can breathe.

Dr Gayle added that UHWI will become a referral point for patients affected by neurological disorders in Jamaica and other countries in the Caribbean.

The hospital was able to acquire the ‘miracle’ machine in October last year with a grant of a little over J$3.9 million from the JN Foundation.

Saffrey Brown, General Manager of the JN Foundation said, “The equipment will help to save many lives, and we see this as an opportunity to make a positive impact on the health-care system.”

At the official handover of the equipment in early March, Brown said that it is anticipated that more than 100 persons who are affected with severe neurological conditions will benefit from the machine every year.

“It will advance the treatment process and improve the quality of life of patients while reducing the valuable hospital hours they would require,” she stated.

“We see this prospect as providing a very good return on our investment.”

Since October 2012, five patients have already been treated on the machine.

Seven nurses and two nurse educators have been trained to use it.

Dr Fenton Ferguson, minister of health, in his keynote presentation at the handover ceremony, said that the equipment will “save the Government significant sums by way of recovery time of the patient”.

“I am happy to be seeing this state-of-the-art facility in a public facility,” the minister declared. “I hope to see it in other hospitals.”

“It is a miracle machine,” Howlett said in expressing gratitude for the machine that gave her a new lease on life.

“And I want to get back to work now,” she added with a smile.