SUMMARY

Gabe has been living with an extremely painful condition called Functional Neurological Disorder since August of 2024. Given that there are no treatment options available in Hawai’i, where he lives, Gabe needs to attend the Rady’s Children’s Hospital Inpatient Chronic Pain Management Program in San Diego, California. This program is his only chance to learn to manage his pain so he can return to school and the activities that he loves.

Even with insurance, however, this program is very expensive. We are raising money to cover the costs of the program, flights, local transportation, and lodging. Any additional funds will go towards Gabe's ongoing recovery and educational expenses, such as tutoring, since he is currently unable to attend school more than once or twice a week due to pain.

GABE'S STORY

Imagine a pain that never stops. Day in, day out, it is always there. Gnawing, throbbing, stabbing, like a monster taking over your body from inside. It lives in your thighs, your knees, your ankles, your feet. Some days, it affects your throat, your head, your stomach. On good days, it might be a 6 or a 7 on the pain scale. On bad days, it’s a 9 or a 10 and is so bad you can’t walk. It goes on for days. For weeks. For months. It feels like it will never end.

Now imagine that you are only 11 years old.

This is what Gabel has been dealing with since August of 2024.

Until 2024, Gabriel was a happy, active, and extremely social kid. Gabe lives on the island of O’ahu, Hawai’i, with his parents and two cats. At school, Gabe was known for being a good friend and standing up for others. He likes drawing, video games, anime, cosplay, and learning to play piano. He’d learned to surf during the COVID-19 pandemic and even played water polo in the ocean several times a week.

One day, Gabe slipped and fell while playing with his friends, resulting in a badly sprained ankle and fractured hip. But as Gabe left his crutches behind weeks later and returned to school, the pain from the injury followed. In fact, it got worse, spreading to his thighs, knees, calves, and feet on both legs.

Gabe stopped going to school.

He stopped being able to run around and play with friends.

He stopped wanting to engage in anything.

Over the next few months, Gabe and his parents had over 50 contacts with medical personnel trying to find out why he was in constant pain. Emergency Rooms. Urgent Care. Physical Therapy. Neurology. Sports medicine. Blood tests. X-rays. CT scans. MRIs. For months, the pain would start to get better, but as soon as Gabe tried to do any kind of physical activity, it would flare up again. Eventually, even resting would not make the pain go away.

TAKING ON THE PAIN MONSTER

Gabe's “pain monster” is medically known as Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). It is a neurological condition in which the brain miscommunicates with the body, telling it that it is experiencing pain when there is no physical damage to the nerves or muscles. It is sometimes also referred to as Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Disorder (AMPS).

Some children with FND recover after one or two episodes. In cases like Gabe’s, where pain keeps coming back even after several rounds of physical therapy, the indicated treatment is an intensive hospital stay where kids learn to retrain their brains to help fix some of the crossed signals causing their pain.

Although Gabe may have to live with his Pain Monster for the rest of his life, getting the treatment he needs will help him reduce his baseline pain level, learn to live with his condition, and avoid future flareups. That way, Gabe can get back to enjoying life as every kiddo should have the right to do.

Gabe is ready and excited to do the hard work needed to take on the Pain Monster and needs your support to make it happen!