JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Scleroderma is a rare disease that afflicts less than one-tenth of one percent of Americans.
It cannot be cured, but doctors at Mayo Clinic have found success in a treatment that has become the standard of care.
"No cure and could possibly kill me, and all we could do is try to manage," said Christopher Ryals, who was diagnosed with Scleroderma and later received treatment at the Mayo Clinic. "It was unbelievable."
Ryals was a veteran, in good shape and had a healthy family life when he was diagnosed with the disease. However, the disease quickly weakened him.
Scleroderma stages a multi-system attack, going after the gastrointestinal, muscular and nervous systems. The disease also noticeably causes a tightening of the skin.
"I was having difficulty reaching above my head," Ryals recalled. "My skin was very tight, I started to get these tiger stripes, dark stripes across my chest."
Symptoms came on suddenly and by the time doctors diagnosed Ryals, his 20-year career in the Air Force was becoming physically impossible. With his family, Ryals decided to retire and move to Southeast Georgia so he could be closer to doctors at Mayo Clinic.
“As soon as I was retired it was go time,” Ryals said.
Doctors at Mayo Clinic used chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant. Not long after, he began to notice change.
“My appetite came back, and one of the biggest immediate changes was my skin began to loosen up very noticeable,” Ryals said.
Doctors expect Ryals will continue to improve. They believe some of the debilitating symptoms will recede, and he could avoid potentially an early death.
Ryals said staying on top of his healthy is also important to surviving the disease.