Pain And Debt
A woman with Tourette's Syndrome
tries to shrink a mountain of medical bills.
When Hirsch was first diagnosed
with Tourette's Syndrome, she became
a model patient for a disease not many
people knew of.
Nana Hirsch is camped out
Thirty years later, she has a hard
on her couch, a plastic shop-
time walking because of numbness in
ping bag full of medicine, a
her legs and poor balance, she has
S pack of cigarettes and a con-
spinal cord damage from trauma
tainer of coffee at arm's length.
caused by the ticks from the disease.
The 43-year-old — whose afflic-
Patti Berry, Hirsch's nurse, com-
tions include spinal degeneration,
pares that aspect to Lou Gehrig's Dis-
arthritis, asthma and severe ticks — is
ease or multiple sclerosis. "The
on medication that is strong enough
Tourette's causes uncontrollable
to anesthetize the average person.
seizures and irritation in her joints,"
They don't even cause her to flinch.
said Berry. "If she didn't take medica-
The real pain comes when she looks at
tion, she'd also have uncontrollable
the doctors' bills. .
barking."
Tormented with Tourette's Syn-
According to Dr. John Gilroy, the
drome since the late 60s, she had to
chief of neurology at Beaumont Hos-
stop working 12 years ago and now
pital, Tourette's tends to be a lifelong
she's $15,000 in debt. The debts put
disease, but it can stabilize. "It waxes
more stress on Hirsch's already frail
and wanes a lot," Gilroy said. "But
psyche. The more stress, the more the
you wonder if it gets better because of
symptoms of the disease, barks and
the medication or if its the natural
ticks, increase
cycle."
Shari Klein, Hirsch's best friend,
When Hirsch was a child, the
former roommate and one of her care-
Tourette's Syndrome brought
with it learning disabilities.
"That's a common side effect,"
•r."
Gilroy explained. "There is
often a difficulty keeping them
in school because the schools
don't understand what the chil-
dren are going through."
Other side effects that
Hirsch has include arthritis,
problems with her bowel sys-
tem, asthma and frequent
episodes of bronchitis and
pneumonia.
Shana Hirsch smokes with her doctor's approval
She's stuck on the couch,
to ease the pain of Tourette's Syndrome.
days filled with watching the
cooking shows on the Food Network
takers, is trying to raise the money
and re-runs of The Simpsons. Her
through Matan B'Seter, an organiza-
nights rarely bring sleep.
tion that relies on anonymous donors
Her specialist has allowed her to
to help people in need.
continue smoking because the nico-
In past campaigns, which have
tine in cigarettes has a positive effect
occurred over the past three years,
in controlling ticks, Hirsch said.
Klein has raised $200 to $300 per
Klein's assistance to Hirsch began
month, which covers groceries and
when
they met at Clinton Junior High
some small payments on the debt.
School
in Oak Park. The two shared
"Once she stopped working is
an apartment together in Oak Park
when the trouble started and three
from 1975 to 1983.
years ago, she didn't have money for
"We became immediate best
groceries," said Klein.
friends," Klein said. "It was hard not
Hirsch said she has "no doubt that
to get involved." LI
getting rid of the debt will take the
stress off."
LONNY GOLDSMITH
Staff Writer
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7/31
1998
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