Eight-year-old grandmother, 70, able to take long walks and roller coaster rides after surgery –

An eight-year-old grandmother was able to take long walks and ride a 94-mile roller coaster for the first time in two years after surgery to repair her paralyzed diaphragm, allowing her to breathe normally again.

Becky Smeltz, 70, from Ohio, lost 30 pounds in a month in 2019 after a “relenting pain” and a diaphragmatic rash that prevented her from eating or sleeping.

Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic diagnosed Smeltz with a nerve condition called neuralgic amyotrophy, which paralyzes his diaphragm, a muscle under the lungs that helps regulate breathing.

At first it was said that it would pass in six months, but when this did not happen, a year and a half later they performed surgery to tighten the muscle.

Smeltz, who also has three children, said he felt better “immediately” after the surgery and within a few weeks was back in his old activities, including the roller coaster at Cedar Point Theme Park with his nephews.

Muscle paralysis is rare, but when it occurs, lung capacity is reduced to about 70% of normal. In most cases, it goes away on its own, but if it doesn’t, surgery may be required.

A family favorite is the Millennium roller coaster (pictured above), which can accelerate to 154 mph.

Doctors initially told Smeltz to wait six months to see if the condition would go away on its own. When this did not happen, he was operated on, but had to wait two years.

Smeltz said he has been riding the roller coaster for years with his grandchildren, aged 10 to 20.

The family’s favorite roller coasters are the Millennium at Cedar Point theme park, which reaches 94 mph, and the Steel Vengeance, which reaches 74 mph.

“Since they were little, I wanted everything… [my grandchildren] “I like to ride roller coasters and have fun at amusement parks,” he said.

“I let my oldest, now 20, ride it when she was probably eight or nine years old—and everyone has done it slowly since then.”

There are no roller coaster restrictions for those with shortness of breath or nerve problems.

But Smeltz, who also has heart disease, may have chosen to avoid them out of concern that they could lead to heart disease and cause pain.

It was unclear why the grandmother had to wait two years for the surgery.

But this may be because it took too long for doctors to relax the muscle enough to tie it off, or because of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was unclear whether the grandmother was offered other treatments, such as painkillers, while she waited.

Smeltz’s struggle with his health began in April 2019 when severe pain broke out in his abdomen.

She went to a chiropractor the next day but came back 48 hours later after the pain did not subside.

The patient was then referred to a local doctor, who did some x-rays but also discharged him saying the condition would likely “go away on its own”.

Over the next month, Smeltz developed such excruciating pain that he had trouble eating or sleeping.

He described it this way: “It was unbearable the whole time. All day. And the worst was at night ».

When the pain also prevented him from taking a deep breath, he returned to the doctors, which referred him to the Cleveland Clinic.

At the Cleveland Clinic, he was diagnosed with a paralyzed diaphragm.

It’s unclear how many Americans suffer from the condition each year, but the prognosis is generally good, with most patients returning to normal within two years.

The diaphragm is the smooth muscle that separates the stomach and lungs and aids in breathing by expanding and contracting the chest cavity to allow air to enter and exit the lungs.

He waited there for two years before doctors signed him up for surgery to alleviate the condition.

Smeltz said she felt better right after the surgery and was able to return to her old daily activities within weeks.

These include taking long walks (pictured). Grandma is glad she’s recovering

Dr. Alejandro Bribriesco, a cardiac surgeon at Cleveland Clinic, describes his surgery: “I usually do it with four small incisions, just enough for my camera and instruments.

“Then, with a series of permanent stitches, simply sew the diaphragm tight and flat.”

Symptoms of diaphragmatic paralysis include shortness of breath and difficulty breathing when lying down.

Treatment options include waiting for the condition to heal on its own and giving patients a pacemaker and pain medication to help correct the condition.