Achondroplasia (Dwarfism) Support Group

Hi I am not sure how long your post has been here, but you need to contact the authorities in the town your friend lives in very quickly, for her own health and safety. Please let me know how you get on
Val.

Thank you for your comment.
I have tried to contact the Health Region in her area to get her some help. She is on a disability pension which is very limited. She is unfortunately uneligable for more services. She now has a nurse that gives her a pain medication injection once a week. She does little else to improve her living standards.
My friend is wasting away from lack of nourishment, since she is unable to stand or move enough to make herself a decent meal. Often the house is empty of food because she simply cannot go to the store to get some.
I have inquired of other care for her also. All of the other programs are not offered by the Health Department unless the person meets certain criteria. A person with dwarfism does not meet the criteria. Also since she is living in a family home that makes her even less eligible since she is not considered "at arms length". She herself has looked into a home facility for the disabled but has been turned down due to the fact that she has a dog. She is afraid to get rid of her dog because she has been attempted abducted.
The whole situation is frustrating because Iam 2000 miles away and trying to do things around my own crazy schedule.
Iam still holding out some hope since i still have a few leads and contacts to make. Maybe something will come up.

Hi Avy
Do you yourself live in Canada too. There is an organisation Little people of Canada I will look it up and send you the link.
Val

Just found the link if you click on this, there is bound to be a contact address on there, get in touch straight away, and tell them about your friend. http://www.littlepeoplecanada.com/

Thank you for your help. I have looked at the site but i havent contacted them.
I am not sure how to put this but my friend has not really accepted that fact that she has a community. She is very uncomfortable when she is around others from her community...that is other little people. Im not sure if it is because she has not accepted it.
From what i have seen her parents have not accept it either. They refer to her as "just small" or "disabled" but not what she is ..achondrapasic. It is very strange and i cant put my finger on it. They know that she is a dwarf and she knows it but they DONT talk about it like it is something to be ashamed of..which it is not. She is the most AMAZING person i know...and happens to be a little person too!!
I havent breeched the topic yet with her, of seeking out assistance, councel, or just life experiences and freindship from other little people. I think this community would bring her much comfort and help!

Should I try to broach this topic with her when we talk again?


Thanks TONNES
Avy

Hi, I don't know if this will help. I am an achondroplastic dwarf, 38 years old living in the US. I have been blessed with a supportive family so I am incredibly sorry to hear your friend is going through this. I recently had back surgery and can realte to your friend's physical pain and need for medications. I also recommend contacting little people canada. I belong to Little People of America. Hopefully you will find some resources on their to help her. She is very fortunate to have you as a friend, and I hope things work out. Feel free to contact me if interested. Good luck.

Thank you Beth (124) for your comment. I was wondering about how your back surgery went?? My friend that I was inquiring about had back surgery just in Jan which is what has started her on soo many meds. She is on a morphine patch and also other oral pain meds. She also gets a shot once or twice a week. She is now also on various kinds of antidepressants and sleeping pills. But the surgery was supposed to releive the pain of her spine being compressed but she seems worse now...like it is not healing. She had the same surgery back about 18 years ago...when she was a teenager and it did help. Within weeks of the surgery she was up and around and feeling better. She didnt have the pain come back until about 3 years ago so they did the same surgery again.
If you have had a similar surgery to this one maybe you might have some input or a personal experience.
Thank you
Avy

Hi Avy,
I'm sorry to hear your friend is still on so many medications. I have spinal stenosis, and had a lumbar laminectomy about 12 years ago, and like your friend I was up and about not long after. This past June I had another lumbar laminectomy due to the growth of bone spurs that were compressing the nerves. As a result I have nerve pain to deal with. I inquired about why I was having to have the surgery again - and one was to remove the bone spurs, and as we age bones degenerate over time, and considering our spines don't give us much breathing room to begin with, any narrowing doesn't help. That doesn't mean all little people will have to have the surgery more than once. We all age differently, so who knows. I think for me the bone spurs caused most of the problem. With your friend, was there any mention of any of this regarding the nerves? Is she having any physical therapy? I don't know much about Little People of Canada but I would look into their Medical Advisory Board and see if anyone is close to her area for her to see. Little People of America has some great medical articles & resources on their site www.lpaonline.org. I know you are trying to find resources she is eligible for, which is hard I know, but maybe if she sees others have experiences like hers, maybe she would be willing to listen and find a little people canada chapter near her for support.
Feel free to contact me. Hang in there.
Beth

Beth, I'm someone who has lived with chronic pain for the last 15 years. i want you to know that people who are actually in pain don't neecessarly become addicts. My doctors assure me that people in real physical pain don't get addicted. Its the ones with emotional pain that do this. YOU have a responibility to report this.If you any kind of friend you will seek help. YOUR FRIEND deserves help and its your job. i would call her doctor, her priest, or the POLICE!

YOUR FRIEND IS NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE TO HELP HERSELF!!!!!!!!1 interevention by professionals is an order.