Chuck Norris has a reputation as being so tough, it’s legendary. However, it looks like his wife Gena will be the one who needs to stay tough, after facing serious health complications that have sometimes been life-threatening. Now, the famous martial artist and action star has announced that he’s putting his career on hold in order to focus entirely on supporting his spouse.
“I’ve given up my film career to concentrate on Gena; my whole life right now is about keeping her alive. I believe this issue is so important,” Norris announced, according to Rare.
Gena Norris has been suffering from severe nerve pain and kidney problems for several years. This week, the famous couple confirmed that they’re suing a medical device company for allegedly poisoning Gena during what should have been a routine procedure. “The couple believes her body was harmed by injections she was given before an MRI to check for rheumatoid arthritis,” explained Rare. “The suit alleges that a chemical called gadolinium, used in MRI imaging scans, poisoned and weakened his wife.” That chemical — gadolinium — is used as a “contrast agent” to provide clear images during an MRI procedure. Normally, it exits the body without trouble after the imagery process is finished… but some experts believe that it can sometimes remain in the body and act as a dangerous toxin. Norris received several gadolinium injections as part of a normal arthritis screen. “Within hours after the first jab I felt like my whole body was on fire — as if acid had been passed through it,” she explained. “The burning was isolated at first, but it just kept spreading,” she continued. After spending a significant amount of money and time trying to figure out what was wrong, the Norris couple and their doctors came to a chilling conclusion: Gadolinium might not be as safe as its manufacturers say. “I asked about the injections at the time, but was told they were perfectly safe and I just had to drink water and the contrast agent would be out of my system in a few hours,” Gena said, according to The Daily Mail. She was finally able to enter a clinic that was studying possible gadolinium poisoning, but the recovery process was grueling. “I just lay in bed on an IV for five months and had to have round-the-clock nursing care,” she recalled. “Chuck slept beside me on the couch and never left. I prayed that I would live to raise my children.” The lawsuit against gadolinium manufactures is still pending, and experts disagree about the danger of the product. However, Chuck and Gena Norris are certainly convinced. Chuck Norris Sues 11 Drug Companies For Poisoning His Wife Compared to CT scans or X-rays, an MRI does not use ionizing radiation that may cause DNA or cancer. This does not mean that the procedure is without risks. As reported by Daily Mail, legendary celebrity martial artist, producer and actor Chuck Norris has alleged that his wife Gena was poisoned by the gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) that are used to improve the clarity of MRIs. He has filed a lawsuit on behalf of his wife and the defendants include industry heavy weights GBMCA manufacturers ACIST Medical Systems inc., Bracco S.p.A., and McKesson Corporation.
Gena Norris, a model who has been married to Chuck Norris for 19 years, has suffered bouts of pain, burning, weakness, cognitive issues and constant fatigue since undergoing three MRI scans in a single week five years ago. According to the suit, the gadolinium used for her tests resulted in Gadolinium Deposition Disease. This condition has left her near death and resulted in $2 million in medical expenses, including stem cell therapies that have triggered underlying central nervous system issues.
Gena Norris is arguing that litigation is her only recourse and “these companies continue to say that there is no link between gadolinium and adverse events, even though the evidence is overwhelming that this heavy metal stays in the body for years, rather than hours.”
Gadolinium is a paramagnetic metal ion that moves differently within a magnetic field. When used during an MRI, it may make certain tissues, abnormalities, or diseases more clearly visible. However, because the gadolinium ion is known to be toxic, it is chemically bonded with non-metal ions when used during MRIs to allow it to be eliminated from your body before it is released in your tissues. Earlier studies have suggested that your body may retain gadolinium. One study linked it to Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis, or NSF. NSF causes skin thickening that can prevent bending and extending your joints. It can also develop in your diaphragm, thigh muscles, lung vessels and lower abdomen. Along with causing decreased mobility of joints, NSF can be fatal. Because of this connection, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requested that the manufacturers of all five gadolinium-based contrast agents (Magnevist, MultiHance, Omniscan, OptiMARK and ProHance) add a boxed warning and a new warnings section to their labels to describe the risk of developing NSF. The salient issue is to avoid using MRI scans with contrast unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. Many times, physicians will order these tests just to be complete and cover their butts from a legal perspective. If that is your case, then simply refuse to have the test done with contrast. If necessary, consult with other physicians that can provide you with a different perspective.
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