Medical Overview – Joe Crawford

Joe has a number of medical issues and disabilities which affect his ability to work, as well as affecting scheduling, availability, etc. Here is a quick list, with further details below.

CLCN1 DNA error, Spinal Damage, Central Sensitization Syndrome, Migraine and Cluster Headaches, Vertigo/Amnesia/Etc (the result of electroconvulsive therapy treatments). Also Joe is neurodivergent with ADHD and Asperger's (actually a form of autism).

Summary, breakdown:

CLCN1 DNA error - Myotonia Congenital or similar
Causes chronic painful conditions, and long-term damage to body. Forces very low limits on amount of physical activity per day. Verified by genetic tests ordered by doctors at Nanaimo Regional hospital.

Spinal Damage - MRI Scan from hospital shows problems between cervical vertebrae c5 and c8
Causes a lot of pain, but also prevents many signals from reaching my brain properly. This creates incomplete and/or incorrect sensations/feelings. This damage is (near-certain) a result of the CLCN1 DNA error mentioned above.

Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS)
Increased sensitivity to pain and other stimuli. Almost certainly a result of long-term exposure to the extreme pain caused by the above conditions.

Migraine and Cluster Headaches
Some of the most painful conditions known to exist. These usually result from the other above conditions, although Joe also has a genetic predisposition to them, as observed in extended family.

Electronic Convulsive Therapy used in past - Vertigo/Amnesia/Etc
Extreme side effects caused & expected. ECT is known to have brutal side effects (long-term & extremely problematic) but gave so much pain relief that it was worthwhile anyway. Serious side effects include recurring temporary amnesia (may forget something extremely obvious and important, such as own phone number, for anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes). Also, extreme vertigo/disorientation/dizziness, which occurs quite randomly and unpredictably and which usually lasts anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

Asperger's and ADHD - Technically a Variant of Autism
Joe has been diagnosed by a psychiatrist as being autistic and having attentiin deficit hyoeractivity disorder. However, these conditi9ns are masked well enough that a lot of people don't even notice. For the most part, Joe actually embraces these conditions and labels. They are a big reason for Joe's ultra euthusiastic excitable personality, which many people actually appreciate, and whuch Jie considers owne of his best characteristics.

Further Details Upcoming
A deeper explanation of Joe's current medical condition and its history will be posted here in the future, hopefully. If you have any questions, feel free to ask Joe about any of this. Joe is extremely open about his condition, and is perfectly happy to talk about it.

Medical Incidents and Emergencies

Joe has had a history of pretty extreme medical incidents, emergencies, and treatments. Since a lot of people are curious and ask questions about it, Joe has opted to be as open as possible about it all. Also, any future clients or employers of Joe should be aware of these medical issues, as they may affect Joe's work and availability. (It's especially important for future scheduling, since for Joe, unexpected emergencies are likely to suddenly pop up out of nowhere.)

See the incidents page for more information.