Expedition Evansvideo
$100,000 BAD NEWS (and what it means for us, sailing and this channel) | EE 165
31 July 2025 · 31 min · 346K views · Barcelona
What this video covers
Jade Evans, co-owner of the sailing channel Expedition Evans, received a diagnosis of cranial cervical instability (CCI), atlanto-axial instability (AAI), and a tethered spinal cord — all attributed to long COVID damaging connective tissue at the base of her skull and causing fibrosis at the base of her spine.▶ 19:33 Symptoms that had been building for roughly a year and a half included progressive vision loss, migraines, fainting, loss of time perception, and full-body pain.▶ 2:02 A previous neurologist dismissed them as dry eyes; a specialist in Barcelona ordered three MRIs, eight to ten CT scans, and an evoked potential nerve-conduction test before delivering the diagnosis.▶ 2:27 The proposed treatment is two major surgeries: a spinal cord detethering to cut scar tissue in the lower back, followed by a skull-to-C2 fusion that would permanently eliminate 50% of neck range of motion in every direction.▶ 20:06 The fusion would end activities like free diving and rock climbing.▶ 20:52 The couple is now sailing again with friends aboard to assist, and Brett Evans reports a backlog of footage ready to edit.▶ 25:27 The diagnosis explained why symptoms resisted healing — the affected area receives poor blood flow, slowing tissue repair.▶ 21:20
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