Trading in his skateboard for a wheelchair was not something Cory Nordstrand Jr. pictured happening to him at age 24.
The 2006 Falls High graduate suffers from a condition known as arachnoiditis — a neuropathic disease caused by the inflammation of the arachnoid, one of the membranes that surround and protect the nerves of the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord.
Because of the severity of the disorder, Nordstrand is now a T-5 paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair.
“It’s frustrating,” Nordstrand said of his new lifestyle.
More often then not, the teenager was found around International Falls spending time with friends and perfecting his skateboard tricks at the local skate park. Now, however, he is focused on being able to bear weight in a standing frame for more than 30 minutes.
The adjustments and struggles for Nordstrand and his mother, Lana, and father, Cory Sr., are difficult, but the trio admit they rely on each other along with family and friends for support.
In the beginning
Fresh out of high school, Cory Jr. ventured south to attend school at the University of Minnesota — Duluth to study psychology. The freshman was eager to begin a new chapter in his life, but noticed a reoccurring pain was holding him back.
“I started having lots of pain in my back and in my legs,” he said. “It was so bad, I couldn’t sleep at night.”
To make sure nothing was seriously wrong, Cory Jr. made an appointment with the health services department at UMD, and was then referred to St. Luke’s Hospital for an MRI.
Cory Jr. said the MRI revealed the culprit of his chronic pain — a non-cancerous, schwannoma tumor located on his spine at the base of his neck.
“It was putting pressure on my spinal cord,” the then 19-year-old said. “I wasn’t expecting to hear that I had a tumor. I was shocked and really scared.”
Round one
Cory Jr. opted to have the tumor removed and underwent surgery in June of 2008.
“We knew the surgery should correct the problem, so we figured he’d have the tumor removed and we’d move on,” Cory Sr. said.
Minor complications and severe nerve pain kept Cory Jr. in the hospital for “16 long days,” Lana explained.
After surgery, Cory Jr. recalls he was feeling better. His energy level returned, he was able to increase activity, and he continued attending classes as normal. The Nordstrands had their fingers crossed the setback was behind them. Still, Cory Jr. said, something “wasn’t quite right.”
“I wasn’t able to ride my skateboard anymore and I was always tripping and falling for some reason,” he said. “Skateboarding is my life and to not be able to do that really got to me.”
On top of medical appointments and dealing with the frustrations of everyday life, Cory Jr. made the decision to put college on hold.
“I didn’t want to,” he said of having to quit school. “But, by this time, my coordination was getting really bad.”
The Nordstrands went back to Cory Jr.’s neurosurgeon in Duluth, who discovered an arachnoid cyst that was putting pressure on Cory Jr.’s spinal cord.
The next step
The cyst prompted Cory Jr.’s neurosurgeon to refer him to the Mayo Clinic for further treatment in November of 2010. Then in December, the team of Mayo doctors removed the cyst, a procedure Cory Jr. said was “a pretty straight forward surgery.”
“Things seemed to get better,” Cory Jr. said. “However, my coordination never really improved.”
A few weeks after returning home, Cory Jr. developed drop foot. Wikipedia.com describes the condition as the dropping of the forefoot due to weakness, damage to the peroneal nerve or paralysis of the muscles in the lower leg. It is characterized by the inability or difficulty in moving the ankle and toes upward.
“At that point, he was using a cane which helped,” Lana said. “But then, things started going downhill, again.”
Disappointing news
A follow-up appointment in Rochester in the summer of 2011 carried disheartening news, which Cory Jr. and his parents say didn’t come as a surprise.
Two more cysts were discovered and in October, Cory Jr. underwent another surgery.
“By this time, we’re questioning why this is happening and why these cysts kept forming,” Lana said.
She said that although they can’t be sure, Mayo doctors predict something with Cory Jr.’s first surgery in Duluth “didn’t go quite right.”
“They did a fusion in my lumbar area when my tumor was taken out in Duluth,” Cory Jr. said. “The fusion promotes bone growth and the Mayo Clinic thinks leakage may cause all these cysts forming.”
“Bio material may have gotten into (Cory Jr.’s) spinal canal,” Cory Sr. told The Journal. “Bio material promotes bone growth. When he had that first surgery in 2008, (doctors) had to cut away parts of his vertebra to get to the tumor. They basically patched it up with a cadaver bone and then they used bio material to help with the bone fusion.”
Cory Jr. admitted that thinking of the what-ifs occasionally causes some resentment and anger, but said he knows “I can’t change the past and I’m learning to live with everything.”
False hope
As Cory Jr. came out of the third surgery, he spent about 10 days in Rochester working in the rehabilitation unit.
“I loved rehab,” Cory Jr. said with a chuckle. “I liked being able to better myself and working hard to get back to where the best I can be physically.”
When he came home, Cory Jr. received braces for his feet to help with the drop foot and allowed him to walk with better balance and coordination.
“Things at that point felt like they were getting back to normal,” Cory Jr. said. “I was even working towards getting back on my skateboard again.”
Then, history repeated itself.
This February, Cory Jr. noticed weakness in his legs and was suddenly unable to bear weight on them.
“I couldn’t stand up anymore,” he said softly. “By April, I was in a wheelchair.”
Back in Rochester, another two cysts were discovered. They were removed in June, but Cory Jr. said it is likely they will return. Without treatment, the cysts will grow and “pretty much strangle the spinal cord,” he added.
“After the last surgery, doctors did say he could regain lower-body movement,” Lana said. “But it is a time issue.”
Adjustments
Going through the timeline of his disease, Cory Jr. was frequently distracted by a rapid twitching in his knees. Although he has little, to no feeling in his legs, a condition called clonus causes a series of involuntary, rhythmic, muscular contractions and relaxations.
“There is ways that can help (clonus), but it happens daily,” Cory Jr. said. “It is really frustrating when I’m trying to get dressed or do something as simple as wheeling down the road.”
Cory Jr. admits that he has days where he feels lonely.
“My friends have been good, but losing them is the thing I worry about the most,” he said. “A few come to visit me and we go to the skate park so I can watch them skate. They’re more sad about the situation than I am. I get so bummed out seeing everyone so sad.”
Cory Jr.’s comments sparked emotion in his parents.
“We’re to the point now where we don’t know what’s next,” Cory Sr. said wiping away looming tears. “There’s no cure. Cory’s arachnoiditis is very aggressive.”
“For the most part, Cory is very positive and stays upbeat,” Lana said admiring her son. “I don’t know how he does it when I feel like losing it.”
The future
Being as independent as possible is one of the main goals Cory Jr. has set for himself and his future, however, he is limited. The Nordstrand’s home is anything but handicap accessible.
“He can’t move freely throughout the house,” Cory Sr. said. “It is an older home and he has trouble getting around.”
“I just wanna live, ya know,” Cory Jr. said of his ultimate goal. He fought back tears to reiterate his No. 1 focus — staying positive.
“I also want to learn how to do wheelies in my chair,” he said.
A benefit to assist the family with making their home more handicap accessible and contribute to Cory Jr.’s continued therapy expenses is scheduled from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at the International Falls Elks Lodge 1599.
It is a free-will donation event with matching funds available. Donations can also be made to: Cory Nordstrand Benefit, PO Box 105, Ranier, MN 56668.
