We had been very lucky. Our Beike representative, Jeevan, was in town and visited us. We talked a lot. Especially in helping me with my unstable emotions over the stem cells treatment. Jeevan is the grandfather of Shirdesh, a 2-year-old boy, the first case of ROP to receive the stem cells treatment at the same centre in December 2008, also by the same doctor, Dr. Zhang.
Thank you, Jeevan!
Jeevan reported that Shirdesh had his retina check recently. His ophthalmologist had a surprise. He had found new growth of healthy blood vessels in his eyes. He also found that his scar tissues are reduced in size. Needless to say, Shirdesh had changed his family’s life completely. He follows and copies movements, sees his own reflections, watches TV, etc. A big step for a ROP 5 boy!
Yesterday, with the help of a proper translator, Frank. I finally understood what Dr. Zhang had been telling me. All this while, I had thought that Dr. Zhang told me that stem cells couldn’t help the retina. I had asked him three times, and yet each time, I managed to misunderstand him. Thanks to my terrible Chinese.
In fact, his opinion wasn’t much different from the other ophthalmologists. Retina disease like ROP, in the advanced stage of ROP 4 and 5, has no cure, at least, in the conventional medicine. He believes that stem cells is the new method in helping ROP. How far it will help, depends on the patients’ medical history, the condition of his disease, age, etc. Just like the acupuncture. Hospitals in China treat patients with acupuncture in parallel with the conventional medicine. Same for the hospital where we are now. The Chinese doctors believe in its effectiveness. Yet, there is no scientific explanation on how it works. Same to his believe in stem cells.
Today, Gabriel is still sick. This time, he is in an early stage of brochitis and cold. Me too. Thanks to Gabriel. We had been quarantined to our room, for a week now. He had also missed a week’s worth of therapies. All because he had a fever earlier this week, than as a precaution in preparation for the stem cells treatment, and then now, new sickness.
I saw new changes in Gabriel. Not in his vision, but his general comportment and communication. I am afraid to list them down as once again, the changes are subtle.
His next and the last stem cells treatment will be on Monday, by IV. In less than a week’s time, we will be back home. Funnily, there is a bitter and sweet feeling about leaving this place. We just said ‘goodbye’ to our new found friends from Ecuador, Maria and Juan. I will miss them terribly, especially during mealtimes, where we mostly shared our moments together.
Asty