To Whom it May Concern,

I have listed below, the time line concerning my illness and the associated history of my employment as a Captain with the Tucson Fire Department. The last 14 years of my career was spent at Station Eight which was and is now, the busiest Engine Company in the State of Arizona as well as being one of the top ten busiest engines in the nation. I had documented responding to well over 20,000 emergency calls during my career, most of them were from Fire Station Eight which is located at 250 W. King Rd. Tucson AZ 85705

Due to some documentation not being available any longer and perhaps a slight lapse of memory, some of the dates might be off a little bit but the events are in order as they occurred. If the reader has any questions, comments or concerns, I can be reached at the above E-Mail address or by the means listed below. Thank you very much for your attention to this matter, it is greatly appreciated by myself as well as my family and many concerned friends.

Sincerely,

Mark K. Paris

Mark Kendis Paris, Captain (retired) Tucson Fire Department

1977; August, Joined TFD

1986: February, Transferred to Station 8

1994: December, developed cough along with slight tightness in chest and shortness of breath.

1995: February: Annual department physical noted 30% to 40% decrease in lung capacity from previous year.

1995: March, awoke one morning in extreme pain and unable to move. All of my major joints were greatly swollen with my knees, ankles and elbows, 3 to 4 times larger then normal. My spine was so stiff, I could not bend at all. After great effort, I made it to St. Marys Hospital Emergency Room. On call E.R. Doctor believed my problems to be arthritic in nature and after relieving the pain, referred me to my family doctor.

1995: March, Family doctor,Charles Kaplan saw me after the swelling had gone down and and referred me to a Rheumatologist, Dr. Barbara Bode.

1995: April, Dr. Bode took x-rays. An x-ray of my left shoulder caught a section of lung and what looked like Cancer. I was then referred to Resp. Specialist, Dr. Robert Aaronson. More x-rays showed that the lymph nodes of both lungs had what looked like Cancer in them. A lung biopsy was inconclusive so I was referred to a Thoracic Surgeon.

1995: May, Thoracic Surgeon, Dr.Lowell performed a Mediasteinoscopy and tests proved that the inflammation wasn't Cancer but rather a very heavy involvement of Sarcoidosis in the lympth nodes of both lungs. My swelling in the joints had subsided but by now I had developed severe pain and lack of function in my spine and major joints. My care was turned over to Dr. Barbara Bode as most of my issues concerned the joints and lack of mobility.

1996: An aggressive program of steroids as well as anti-inflammatories and pain killers was started and lung problems disappeared. My mobility increased enough to allow me to return to work but the pain could not be managed even after an all inclusive search for effective relief.

1997: Continued with various trials of steroids and different pain meds in attempt to control symptoms that remained.

1998: Condition worsened including return of chest problems. I had become so stiff, swollen and dysfunctional that I needed a wheelchair and constant help with common daily tasks.

1998: November: Started chemo therapy which seemed to help for a short time and I returned to duty even though I was in much worse condition then most of the patients I responded to. I lived in constant, debilitating pain and it took all I had, to stay on the job.

1999: May, I finally could not function any longer and stayed on sick leave and vacation until September, when I had to retire.

2000: All Year, I spent the next couple of years going to physical therapy and different pain clinics in hopes of finding relief from the pain. I went off the chemo therapy due to being constantly ill from the Methotrexate.

2001: After trying every available pain medicine with little to no relief, I was slated to have an internal pain pump installed. I also contracted Meningitis from a treatment of IVIG as well as other difficulties with different medicines and treatment modalities.

2002: December, Pain pump installed and maintained with Morphine. No relief of spinal pain and swelling and pain in all joints.

2002: June, Trial of experimental pain medicine, Zyconotide attempted with terrible reaction. I suffered seizures and stopped breathing twice along with many other reactions to the Zyconotide. went back to oral pain meds as well as Morphine in pump.

2002: July, Diagnosed with neuropathy in both feet and lower legs and again was in and out of a wheelchair.

2003: All Year, Continued on different pain relief programs and anti inflammatory drugs to try and reduce the severe swelling

2003: February, Feeling sicker and sicker, was referred to an Endocrinologist, Dr. Insel he found, through testing, that my body had several systems not working including not producing any Testosterone. Bone scans revealed a 60% loss of bone density. Several different treatments were started to replace Testosterone and increase bone density.

2004: June, Suffered kidney failure due to Fosomax which was for increasing bone density.

2005: January, New tests showed increase in areas affected by the neuropathy and several medications were tried to assist in this area of treatment

2006: June, Pain pump was removed by surgery and spinal cord did not seal. Entire quantity of Cerebral Spinal Fluid drained out through the incision and I was taken to TMC for emergency surgery after 9 spinal punctures. They could not find a single drop of CSF in my spinal cord. After a week in recovery, I went home with an increased feeling of spinal pain, lack of balance and motor function in legs.

2006: July: Started to have metabolic related seizure activity that was treated with I.V.s flushing my circulatory system, usually 5 to 7 liters of fluid would help get me somewhat normal again.

2007-Current I am on daily dosages of heavy pain killers as well as weekly injections of Testosterone, daily dosages of Lyrica and Flexarill for muscle spasms and the Neuropathy. My pain is constant but lessened with Oxycontin and I have days that I can actually walk for short distances (with mechanical aid) but any amount of activity or exercise, keeps me laid up for several days afterward with muscle cramps, spasms and greatly increased pain.

I have been to every type of specialist available in Tucson and they have all been very caring but they also are in agreement that currently, we have run out of treatment options and until there is something new that might come along, all they can do for now is try to make me comfortable and functioning at a greatly reduced capacity.