But today, she cannot walk, talk, eat or perform any other voluntary movements. Christa has a rare brain disorder that prevents her from voluntarily moving any muscle in her body, except eye muscles, and the condition causes painful muscle spasms.
Doctors also have no idea what brought it on or how to cure it.
A CT scan showed damage to her brain, and since then, Christa has spent much of her time in the hospital. Her mother has had to rearrange her work schedule and hire home health nurses. Christa spends her time lying in a hospital bed in her Lakeland home, her right leg straight and rigid, her left leg tucked up behind her. Her right arm is bent at the elbow and stays close to her body, and her left fist is always clenched. Christa has been given numerous treatments and pain relievers to help with the spasms, which have caused her to scream in pain for up to 36 hours at a time.