At 18 years old, after complications from what should have been a routine surgery, Anne Laurel Dempsey was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS Type 1) — a rare and extremely painful neurological condition. Despite intensive therapy and seeing dozens of specialists, her symptoms continued to progress. Once active and athletic, she was forced into a wheelchair. She is now in Florida for a treatment that we hope will finally bring her pain relief and regain mobility.

Anne Laurel has always been a deeply involved member of her local horse community and Pony Club. Even though she can no longer ride, she continues to serve and lead. She is currently the Head of the Carolina Region Youth Board, a member of the USPC National Youth Board, and she recently completed part of her HA certification. Throughout everything, she has not given up the hope of riding again and remains the same kind young woman, always willing to teach and volunteer.

Anne Laurel has CRPS Type 1 in her left leg. Formerly known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, it is a rare nerve dysfunction causing severe pain and circulation issues which prevent her from walking. It is widely considered the most painful condition known to man. Even with the help of doctors and physical therapists, it took her months to be able to touch her foot and put a sock and shoe on. Very few treatments exist, and most doctors just try to help lessen the pain and prevent it from spreading.. Anne Laurel has tried every possible CRPS treatment that she can, including dozens of medications, nerve blocks, steroid injections, laser therapy, daily Bemer mat use, PEMF, hydrogen therapy, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, and care from a functional medicine doctor, chiropractor, neurologist, orthopedics, and pain‑specialist clinics. She has tried these while always continuing with intensive physical therapy 3 times a week, along with aquatic therapy, dry needling, cupping, soft‑tissue work, desensitization, mirror therapy, graded motor imagery, and blood‑flow‑restriction training, plus aquatic PT.

Unfortunately, none of these have helped Anne Laurel, so after a 6 month waitlist, she traveled to south Florida for Calmare Scrambler treatment with a doctor widely considered the best provider in the country. She is currently in her 4th week of the non-invasive, drug free treatment, that uses electrodes to deliver artificial neuron signals to her C-nerve fibers to generate synthetic action potentials aiming to rewire her central nervous system.

During treatment, she is able to stay vertical without her foot turning black. That is a sure sign that she is responding to the treatment, but unfortunately her pain levels have not decreased yet. She needs to continue treatment until her pain level decreases and her nerves have learned the signals to function properly again. The end goal (remission) is when neuroplasticity allows her to be pain free and mobile again, even when she is off of the Scrambler machine.