Finalist
Christopher Capozziello
Freelance
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"THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US"
In November 2009, Nick under went Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery (DBS). For the first time, our family held out hope that things would improve for him. The doctors said that while the surgery might not completely stop his muscles from cramping, it could significantly decrease the effects of the cramps. DBS is cutting-edge science, but it looks like medieval torture. They shave you bald and rig you to a stereotactic frame that holds your head steady while they drill through your skull to insert electrodes for a “brain pacemaker.” Once they switch the implanted device on, it delivers tiny electrical shocks to your brain, gradually retraining your whole nervous system to relax your muscles.
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