«Each of us wants our partner to always be there — in sorrow and in joy. This gives confidence that they are a true friend, a person you can rely on, whatever happens. Indeed, it is in such moments of life that you truly realize how beloved or beloved is devoted and reliable.
American actor and martial arts master Chuck Norris is an example of such a loving and faithful husband. He not only stayed with his wife, who became very seriously ill but even gave up a successful career to take care of her and support her.
The Texas Ranger star recounted how his family’s life changed literally overnight after a routine injection that doctors gave his wife in 2013 before an MRI for rheumatoid arthritis. The complications turned out to be more than serious: excruciating neuralgia and kidney problems.
Chuck Norris didn’t hesitate for a second when he had to choose: taking care of his wife or his career. ‘I gave up my film career to focus on Gena. Now I have only one dream and one goal — to save my beloved. I believe there is nothing more important, so I have never regretted the decision I made,’ said the 80-year-old actor to Good Health journalists.
Since his wife fell ill, Norris has not left her for a minute. The couple has spent about $2 million on treatment alone.
Recalling the mistake of the doctors, which simply crossed out their previous full life, Gena says that after the first injection, her body felt like it was on fire. She simply went crazy with pain and could not understand what was happening.
«A few hours after the first injection, I felt like I was… on fire. With each passing hour, the burning spread over a larger area of the skin, and it was hell. The pain was so severe that it tore me apart.
Thus began the most terrifying period in my life: for 5 months, I lay motionless under drips and prayed to God only about one thing — that these sufferings would end as soon as possible. It didn’t make sense: just recently I was healthy, and now I couldn’t do without round-the-clock medical observation and support.
All this time, Chuck never left me for a step. He slept nearby on the couch and listened to every sigh of mine. It was very difficult, very painful. All that was left was to pray, and that’s what I did. I asked God to give me at least a few more years to raise our children…» — Gena recalls those terrible days.
Chuck Norris’ wife says that they could not accept the fact that a harmless injection, given to everyone before an MRI, could cause such complex complications.
«When I went for the MRI, I didn’t even entertain the thought that I would be paralyzed for the next 5 months. It can’t be! It’s impossible! Not with me! Nevertheless, life is not always fair: very rarely, but something like this happens, and this time the wheel of fate pointed at me,» Gena continues.
The situation was exacerbated by the fact that doctors did not immediately determine what was happening with Chuck Norris’ wife. They suspected an oncological process, conducted various tests and laboratory studies. Then there was a version that her symptoms could be associated with Parkinson’s disease.
She was put on one course of treatment after another, but nothing brought relief. And then Gena began to analyze her symptoms independently, to recall how it all started, and it dawned on her: everything pointed to her body being affected by the metal gadolinium, which is part of the contrast agent administered before an MRI. Soon, the doctors at the clinic in Reno, Nevada confirmed her assumption: it was poisoning.
«It was so absurd and unfair at the same time. I lived a bright, full life before the illness, was in excellent physical shape, engaged in sports, ate a balanced diet, and then — everything ended. Illness, fighting for life, and physical suffering — that’s what the consequences of the injection turned out to be,» Gena laments.
Chuck Norris decided to seek justice and find out what and whose fault caused his wife’s condition. The famous actor sued several medical companies, claiming that the chemical substances used for MRI were the cause of Gena’s illness.
The family is demanding over $10 million in compensation for damages, arguing that companies should warn patients about potential risks and complications. «What happened to Gena cannot be changed.
For the past few years, we have been fighting for her health, and now our task is to ensure that this does not happen to other patients. People need to know that the contrast agents used for MRI can be dangerous. It’s not about completely abandoning their use, but doctors must provide full information,» Norris told the Washington Post.
Gena also emphasizes that they are not seeking revenge, but simply want to achieve the truth.
«It’s just terrible and infuriating: doctors are hiding information from patients about contrast agents for MRI,» she says. «Chuck and I are determined to change this situation,» said the 57-year-old woman, according to Hello magazine.
Chuck and Gena Norris were married in 1998, and they have two children. By the way, at the time Chuck, after the crash of his first marriage, which lasted about 30 years, was dating another woman — a young model. But when he saw Gena — he immediately realized that it was fate. He asked his agent to set her up on a date, and soon they started dating. It was love at first sight, and, as it turned out, for a lifetime.