Mother of seven coping with rare diagnosis of ‘nutcracker syndrome’

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - At Thanksgiving, many people reflect on blessings for which they’re grateful. This year the spirit of gratitude is especially strong in a local couple and their seven children.

Kimmie Armelin had just given birth to her seventh child when she was diagnosed with a rare and serious disorder known as nutcracker syndrome.

“This has been very rough because normally I take care of my babies. I’m a home-schoolin’ mama so they’re all with me,” she said.

Kimmie said many of the symptoms she had were blamed on her pregnancy. But once little Mia was born, she said the pain and sickness came back with a vengeance.

Her husband Ryan is a nurse but now cares for his wife and children full-time.

“It’s like this debilitating pain that gets her to where she has to use a walker. She can’t have any pressure on her abdomen. She can’t pick the baby up,” he said.

It’s called nutcracker syndrome because of the shape of the compressed vein and artery. It can cause a multitude of symptoms and is often misdiagnosed.

With seven children from 15-year-old Ryan to 6-week-old Mia, the syndrome has turned life upside down for the Armelins.

They move between each other’s parents’ homes to get help from the children’s grandparents.

“We needed help with the children because I would have to go to the hospitals and be with her but then we couldn’t have the kids in the hospital like that,” Ryan said.

He said complications from medication resulted in ulcers that were life-threatening.

“Because of the medicine she could have died a couple times,” Ryan said.

For now, she walks with a walker to better cope with the pain. Their goal is to get to the University of Maryland Medical Center to have surgery to correct the issue.

The family is moving forward with courage and thankfulness.

“I’m just thankful I’m here mentally and physically,” Kimmie said.

“I’m just thankful for my wife and her life,” Ryan said – a life they now know to never take for granted.

You can find the family’s fundraiser HERE. It also has a link to Kimmie’s YouTube page she started before being diagnosed with nutcracker syndrome.

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