Val Hoenecke says it's 10 thousand dollars she no longer has, but she'd spend whatever it took, to feel this well again. At the same time, the Rosetown woman is not going to say she is free of Multiple Sclerosis until she has been symptom free for 10 years.

Hoenecke flew to Poland two weeks ago to undergo what has been dubbed the Dr. Zamboni procedure which alleviates narrowing of the veins in the neck of MS patients.

Considered in its infancy by many researchers around the world, Hoenecke said she had to take the chance that the procedure would work.  In fact, Hoenecke says she is shocked that she no longer has any symptoms because she had very realistic expectations.  She would have been happy to have had half the fatigue and half the pain. 

The Rosetown woman's Multiple Sclerosis was considered a "2" on a scale of 1 to 10 for severity.  Hoenecke was officially diagnosed in January 2009 with MS but says she had fairly severe MS symptoms for at least six years prior, which included terrible pain mainly on the right side of her body as well as incredible pressure and pain in her neck and shoulder area.  She also had what is called a "drop foot" where she'd have to make a conscious effort to make sure her right foot was lifted high enough so she wouldn't fall. 

For more information on the Zamboni procedure, and where it's being done in the world, Hoenecke recommends the This is MS web site .  (vmf May 10/10)