Our story

We are Richard and Eleni, a couple from Norway (with half greek/swedish heritage) and we are thrilled to welcome you to our home here in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We understand the challenges you face, perhaps better than most, as Eleni is a patient at Spero herself.  

Our journey is the very reason this duplex was created.

Our lives were turned upside down in 2017 after only 6 months as a couple, when Eleni developed CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) following a simple surgery to remove varicose veins. The pain became progressively worse. After months of excruciating pain, it culminated in a severe episode where Eleni fainted from the pain and was rushed to hospital by an ambulance. She was diagnosed with a blood clot and deep vein inflammation. The constant, burning and stabbing pain she described was dismissed by doctors, who believed it would be resolved with time. It did not. The pain eventually spread from her left thigh all the way down to her foot, and her leg began to contract into a 90-degree angle. In addition to this she started getting horrible tremors, and developed allodynia in the affected area. Eleni also has EDS and gastroparesis in addition to the CRPS and is a complex case. 

After years of desperately seeking effective help within the Norwegian healthcare system, Richard stumbled upon The Spero Clinic one sleepless night. In August 2023, we made the journey to Fayetteville. After nine months of dedicated treatment, Eleni became pain-free from her foot to her knee. Unfortunately, we ran out of funds and had to return home sooner than we wanted and the pain was still high in her left thigh. 

After 13 challenging months back in Norway, we realized that our only chance for a complete recovery and a normal life was to return to the U.S. and the Spero Clinic. Eleni``´s CRPS had spread to her hip and lower back and she was in constant pain levels between 8-10 and back in a wheelchair. We sold everything we owned and are currently back in treatment, hoping to reclaim our lives and get Eleni across the finish line to remission. 

We hope you have a pleasant stay in our home and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!