For 14 years my son, Colin Callaway, has been in and out of Dr’s appointments, specialists offices, Emergency Rooms and hospital stays with pain that is not controlled with opiates, surgeries or even experimental treatments. He has been dismissed, misdiagnosed and a victim of the medical industries’ crackdown on pain management. It wasn’t until two years ago that he was finally correctly diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 2 (CRPS 2). In April 2010 Colin underwent a routine surgery to repair a torn meniscus which activated his body’s emergency response to spinal damage and he has lived in agony every minute of every day since then. Despite CRPS2 being non-lethal, the mortality rate of this condition is horrifying. I’m Selene Kaye, his mother, and for the first time since 2010, my son has an opportunity to go and receive legitimate care for his illness that would restore his functionality and ability to connect with his faithful partner Rebecca and raise his three beautiful children. This fundraiser is the last step in helping him get a second chance to actually live.

Although there are treatments that can assist with CRPS, most of those need to be administered within a short period of time after the original issue began. At this point, Colin has been doing everything he can and everything that American medical knowledge will suggest (and insurance companies will allow), and yet his pain still surpasses his ability to function. He has even had three surgeries to insert a spinal cord stimulator directly into his spinal column (this failed). His most recent hospitalization was just in this month (04/2024).

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 2 occurs when a person has an injury (in this case the surgery) that causes damage in the nerve endings. Here is a link to the Mayo Clinic for information: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crps-complex-regional-pain-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20371151

The pain condition is characterized by severe, continuous pain in a specific region of the body, most commonly a limb (arm, hand, leg, foot). The pain is more severe than most people report pain to be, and is disproportionate to the initial injury. Although this condition starts in one limb, it can spread to other limbs if additional injuries occur to those. Below is a chart showing the pain level of CRPS in relation to other reported pain levels.

After the first knee surgery 14 years ago, Colin has seen a series of doctors concerning his continuous pain, which he describes as a sharp, burning knife cutting into his knee/leg every minute of the day, every day (and night) of the year. The doctors have prescribed a variety of treatments for him (all of which he has tried):

Physical Therapy Medication Therapies Including:

Acupuncture Opioids such as:

Massage Therapy Dilaudid

Yoga Oxycodone

Chiropractic Care Anti-inflammatories

Medical marijuana Nerve Pain Meds such as:

Psychotherapy – CBT Gabapentin

Ketamine infusions Cymbalta

Weight Loss (Gastric By-Pass 2020) Fentanyl

TENS Unit Stimulator Spinal Cord Stimulator

Colin does not find any relief from even the highest doses of medication. This condition is often called the “suicide disease” and, in fact, we family members have had to be on suicide watch more than once over the past many years. Colin’s main reason to keep going is taking care of his three children. Gavin is 14 and enjoys his video games. Maya is 11 and loves discovering new music on You Tube. Rhiannon is 4 and is learning to play soccer.

Even through all his pain, Colin has successfully obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Small Business Management and currently works as a computer programmer. Luckily, his employer has been flexible with allowing him to work when he is able, and gives him time off for when he is unable to overcome the constant pain, or needs to be hospitalized for emergency treatments.

To help Colin get out of all this pain, I am trying to find the funds to get him to Italy. Here is the link to the website showing the science behind the treatment, and the treatment regimen. https://crps-treatment.com/

We had the video call with the hospital representatives that work on the treatment and they believe he is a prime candidate for a successful recovery. They have told us the cost will be $35,000. This will cover the medication treatment, the physical therapy and the light therapy that will be administered over two weeks, as well as the hotel, transportation, meals and interpreter. In addition we need the funds to get him and a companion who will take care of him outside of the hospital to Italy and home again. There will also be ongoing physical therapy and light therapies required upon arriving back home. This is why the total we are asking for is $40,000.

As a family, we have made a commitment to furthering the education about CRPS and hope to start a non-profit fund to help the further development of research into possible treatments here in the United States. Thus, any funds we raise that are not needed to directly help Colin receive this treatment will be put toward that end. We thank you, from the bottom of all our hearts. Please help us get this much needed relief, for Colin and hopefully for others into the future.