Woman develops second skeleton as her muscles turn to bone

A woman is attempting to fulfill her bucket list before her ultra-rare condition takes away her ability to move.

Jasmin Floyd from Danielson in Connecticut, USA, is battling Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) – a disorder that causes bone to form in her muscles, creating a second skeleton.

The 23-year-old was diagnosed with the condition – of which there are only 800 recorded cases worldwide – aged five, after suffering agonising pains in her neck.

Over the years, Jasmin’s muscles have gradually turned into bone – meaning she’s already lost mobility in her jaw, neck, shoulders, elbows and hips.

During some of her worst flare-ups she struggles with intense pain.

Jasmin also finds it difficult to speak and eat, as she can only open her mouth one centimetre wide.

The condition is slowly restricting her ability to walk and at times confines her to a wheelchair.

But undeterred by her problems, she’s determined to fulfill her bucket list of traveling and other experiences before her condition fully immobilises her.

Jasmin said: ‘The extra bone that has grown in my joints, is causing severe limited mobility, they describe it as bone forming over the joints, locking them in and impairing mobility.

‘My spine is severely affected with scoliosis, the bone grows somewhere it shouldn’t and for me it’s been more active in my upper body.

‘Due to FOP’s progression, I’ve lost full mobility in my neck and jaw and partial mobility in my shoulders, elbows and hips.

‘Last summer I went through an elbow flare-up and couldn’t unbend it without easing it with an ice pack.

‘At the same time, I was also losing mobility in my jaw, which made everything much more difficult.

‘The conditions often described as stone man syndrome, referring to the extra bone and it’s like a person is turning into stone.

‘Because my condition is so unpredictable it’s encouraging me to do everything I want to while I can.’

Due to the extra bone growths in her joints and the second skeleton that is forming, Jasmin can’t lift her arms above her shoulder.

She added:’I try to be as independent as I can. I have a hard time bending and can tell I’m losing the ability to move as easily.

‘One of the hardest parts is trying not to be afraid of this condition, it’s so unpredictable that I can never expect what will happen next.’

Jasmin is now fundraising to purchase mobility aids that will enable her to travel easier as well as ease her daily life. 

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