WASHINGTON: American martial artist Chuck Norris and his wife have recently filed a lawsuit against medical device manufacturers alleging that a chemical used in MRI imaging scans left her poisoned and weak.
According to the 77-year-old martial artist he has given up his film career to take care of his ailing wife Gena.
They claimed that in 2013, chemical Gadolinium, used in MRI imaging scans, left Gena weak, tired and with debilitating bouts of pain and a burning sensation linked to 'gadolinium deposition disease'.
In 2013, Gena underwent several magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in the United States to monitor her rheumatoid arthritis, receiving an injection of dye known as a "contrast agent" that highlights specific organs, blood vessels, or tissues to make them easier for the radiologist to determine the extent of disease or injury.
Speaking to Good Health, Chuck said, “I’ve given up my film career to concentrate on Gena, my whole life right now is about keeping her alive. I believe the issue is so important.”
Gadolinium was thought to pass out through the urine within hours, but recent research suggests it can be deposited in areas of the body, including the brain, kidneys and bones.
“Within hours after the first jab I felt like my whole body was on fire – as if acid had been passed through it. The burning was isolated at first, but it just kept spreading,” Gena said.
Gena was rushed to the hospital six times with several symptoms, including rib pain, breathing difficulties, full-body tremors and joint pain, following the MRI scan, reports Metro.co.uk.
However, a medical clinic in Rena, Nevada, recognised gadolinium toxicity in Gena's symptoms.
After four years, Gena is no longer bed-ridden but is still receiving treatment like stem cell therapy, with the pair filing a lawsuit against drug companies who make linear contrast agents.
Chuck and Gena have two daughters together, Dakota and Danilee.