SSG James Alford Update
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Curby sends an update about SSG James Alford, the Special Forces sergeant that was misdiagnosed when he contracted Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (human Mad Cow disease). I posted about it here and here.
Soldier first to get new 'mad cow' treatmentIt's a miracle and a testament to his strength that he is even alive.
By LEON ALLIGOOD
Staff WriterA Green Beret from Fort Campbell has become the first person in the nation to receive a new drug treatment for the human variant of mad cow disease.
Staff Sgt. James Alford, 25, a soldier who was awarded a Bronze Star and deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, is resting at his parents' home in Karnack, Texas, after the first round of treatments.
His mother, Gail Alford, said it's too early to note any changes, but the family watches him closely.
''His eyes are open. He recognizes us and laughs at us. He still likes to watch movies and listen to country music. We'll take it day by day,'' she said.
Doctors hope the new treatment will stall or perhaps reverse effects of the brain-wasting Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. If so, it would be the first treatment to give hope to CJD victims, who usually die within a year of diagnosis...
Please keep Staff Sergeant Alford, and his wife and family in your thoughts and prayers.