Corey’s CP Blog

One More Treatment To Go

August 25th, 2008

Corey had his IV on Friday and all is well.  I brought some reading books and I think because he’d done it before he wasn’t scared.  We read our books, they hooked up the stem cells to his IV, once they were finished we went back to our room and laid down.  We took it easy for the rest of the afternoon.  That evening he was restless.  After going to bed he kept waking up restless as if he couldn’t get comfortable no matter what position he lay in.  I would pat him back to sleep and in a few hours he would be up again with the same thing.  I eventually gave him some panadol and that seemed to settle him and he finally slept right through till morning.  I didn’t know whether it was what he ate that made him restless or if it was the IV.  I asked a few of the other parents and they said that they had experienced similar, so I am guessing it was something to do with the IV treatment.  The next day he was fine. I am always keeping up the fluids but that’s not a big deal with the IV treatment and patients generally have no side effects.  So since we didn’t have to worry about any recovery we have been working on our PT, acupuncture, and walking, pushing just that little harder.  I also met a mother and daughter (age 13) from Roumania and this is their second time to China for stem cells.  We were speaking through another Romanian patient who could speak English as she didn’t speak English.  I think her daughter has CP but they don’t call it that.  She kept calling it spasticity and little to no speech.  She said her daughter was born like that and that they didn’t realise it until months later.  They were here 18 months ago.  When they had finished the first full treatment of stem cells they were disappointed as nothing seemed to happen.  But after a few months she began improving rapidly.  Her speech improved to the point where she can be understood well.  She is walking with assistance (her mother walks in front of her holding her hands).  She couldn’t do that before.  So they came back for more.  I am really happy for her.  

Corey’s acupuncture today went well.  He only cried a little when they put the needles in, then he settled down and didn’t cry at all when they took them out.  Hence because he behaved so well I got the opportunity to take a photo. Look closely and you will see the needles in his head. The wires taped to his arms and legs are the electric wave therapy.

I would like to add just how caring the doctors and nurses have been.  When we first arrived, it’s very hard as you don’t know anybody and even though they have translators the language barrier is still a issue.  Its at this time that the other patients and carers are of so much help because they know how you feel as they have only just been through it themselves.  But now I am getting to know the staff better, our communication is much better and I’ve become more accepting of their different ways of doing things than how we do things at home.  I now try to do my bit and help out the new patients arriving to help them through the first week.

Once again thanks for all the comments they are very much appreciated.

Entry Filed under: cp,Uncategorized