Archive for September 25th, 2006
Dave was having a massage at this wonderful place in ShenZhen, and his left hip was really bothering him, and he was uncomfortable for at least a week, so he booked a massage before he had his last lumbar puncture because he knew he would be still having to lie flat for 6 hours. During his massage he realized that all of a sudden he was actually rubbing his own hip!! I actually wasn’t there to see it myself, but Dave couldn’t wait to tell me about it when he saw me. Dave was thrilled to say the least, he couldn’t stop talking about it! Things are so suttle when you realize they are happening and they are things Dave used to do, and hasn’t done them since the injury. When he does them, it is like wait a minute, did you see that? You have to validate what you saw, because it is so suttle you almost think that it didn’t happen. Dave just beams like a little kid when he realizes he has done something new.
Dave has worked very hard in rehab, and his determination is making him push himself more than I would have imagined. He works very, very hard in therapy, but the benfits are paying off for him for sure. It seems that the standing board is the hardest for Dave, and makes him the most sore. His feet, legs and hips ache, and I believe that it is due to the stretching and use of all those muscle, joints, tendons and ligaments that he hasn’t used in 4 1/2 years. That is why he was having his heavenly foot massage again.
We all feel that the best thing he can do for himself when he returns home is to continue the diligent therapies and rehab. on a daily basis like he is doing here. That is the biggest hurdle for him when he returns home. If you have a chronic problem, you are limited by the number of rehab. treatments you are allowed, and this is the biggest hurdle all people face like Dave. The stem cells need a chance to lodge where they need to be and grow, and regenerate where they will. Dave will continue to see gains once he returns home, and not just here in China. The key for everyone with an SCI injury to keep their muscles and joints from stiffening, wasting and contracting is the daily rehab. and treatment modalities to be continued. I cannot stress that point enough. David’s combintation of therapies has proven that fact in this trip here to China. Some of the rehab. is just back to the basics that everyone can do on their own if they stay motiviated and make it part of their daily rountine, So to all of you out there who are waiting until you can have stem cells, get yourself on a regular schedule of exercises daily. Have you care givers assist you to do the things that you cannot do on your own, and make this part of your daily routine. Strengthen everything you can and build your core and even with that you will notice big gains. Stay motivated and focused, because the benefits you reap will be worth the effort. If there is anything we have all learned from this trip to China, it is the importance of using basic eveyday exercises to build yourself back up. You will not only benefit physcially, but you will benefit emotionally. Never give up hope, ever.
September 25th, 2006
Dave seems to have leveled off a bit and has definitely seen some suttle changes. Some of the changes that he has noticed that are just more suttle are as follows: he feels his breathing is stronger, his voice is stronger when he speaks and he also feels general over all improvement in his core strength. He is still dealing with his vision fading in and out where some days he sees better than others. I think this will be the case until things level off a bit. He is able to lift his hands up to his chin from a sitting position which he was only able to do from a reclined position before. He can now use his hand to rub his own hip when it bothers him. To us with full mobility, we do these things unconsiously. To those with these disabilities, these are major leaps and bounds. We all believe that all the modalities, and David’s hard work, along with the stem cells has made all these improvements possible. David will be leaving on 10/2 to return home. That is just a week away. He had another IV stem cell treatment on Monday, and he will have 1 more L.P. stem cell treatment on Sat. That will be his last. He will return home and continue all the rehab. on a daily basis to improve his on going progress. We knew when we travelled here that there were not guarantees, everyone is different, but David has worked hard, the modalities are a comibnation of things that all seem to work if the person participates at their full capacity. Like Dave’s friend Bonny said, “Your altitude depends on your attitude”, and she sure was right. Will do another post in a few days so stay tuned!
September 25th, 2006
Hello everyone,
Dave’s eyesite continutes to improve. He does have days that are a little more off than others, where it seems his vision is more hazy than others, and some of this seems to be when he is more tired. We haven’t quite fiugured it all out, but he definitely sees better and can read so many things! It is just amazing!
Dave welcomes all emails and I even print the comments from this blog for him to read. The responses are so heartfelt and everyone is struggling with all the issues that Dave struggles with, with this disabliltiy. Any treatment offers hope to all.
Please be sure to make the font larger so that Dave can read them himself!!
Yes, that is what I said! David is now reading his own emails.
Dave’s eyesight since the last email has just progressed. Let me explain, originally, he could see. but said that his vision was inconsistent. It seemed to be clear then would get fuzzier. He has had an eye exam, and his vision is great! He does need reading glasses, but he just seems to be improving with time! It is such a gift, and it was one of the hopes Dave had before he came. He feels he will now be able to use the computer, and because he will be able to see the screen. Won’t it be fabulous….. the first email we all receive from him…..I am sure all of you cannot wait. Dave’s eyesite improving will make his quality of life so much better, and that is one of the things we had hoped and prayed for.
David had his 3rd Stem Cell on Tuesday. It was much easier than the rest because this one was by IV, and there is no down time. Dave received the IV sitting in his wheelchair. The IV circulates through the blood stream to all the major organs. There are a minimum of 10,000,000 stem cells in every injection! Think of all the organs those can travel to by IV!
When he receives the lumbar puncture, the stem cells are in the closed spinal fluid system inside the spinal cord and are hopefully concentrating on the areas of the brain that may have suffered anoxia, and the areas of the spinal cord where the signals are crossed, and lodge and start regenerating in the areas of need in his spine. Dave’s next stem cell treatment is via lumbar puncture again. He will receive a total of 6 stem cell treatments before he leaves to head home. 4 will be by lumbar puncture and 2 via IV, totalling 6. It is a tight schedule, but it seems that they will all be fit in before Dave has to leave! Thank you to Jon and all his wonderful staff for making that happen for Dave.
There are a couple of more things that have happened to Dave that are very positive. He is gaining more core strength, and was able to lift his hips up off the rehab. table. He has NEVER been able to do that. He was so pumped after he realized he had done it!( Leta Sharkey was there with her friend Mary Beth to see the whole thing too. She travled here from the US to see the miracles going on here in China.) We got that one on video too! Another improvement Dave has noticed is that he can move the fingers on his left hand more, and he can feel warm things! He could feel the warm face cloth at dinner last night, they gave us to wash our hands. That was the first time he realized that change. Norma had put the cloth on his hand and he could feel the warmth! Today when Norma was getting him ready to head to Rehab., he put his hand in the warm water and could feel that it was warm too!! He is thrilled. Things are so suttle and it seems that you just seem to all of a sudden notice them ,one by one.
National Geographic did come and interview Dave and he did a fabulous job. We were very proud of him, and I did video them taping Dave. The documentary will be out in about one year from now. I am sure Dave will let you all know when it will air on the National Geographic channel. The producer gave Dave a bouquet of Lillies, and 2 containers of yummy cookies too! She was great, and Dave could see her too!
Who would have thought even one year ago this would all be taking place, half the world away. Dave admittingly told N.G. he was a bit of a risk taker, and this is one risk that was definitely worth taking!
Just think what the potential is, and what the future holds, for many diseases, and chronic problems like Dave’s. The possibilites are endless………….
Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers………the prayers are surely being answered from our perspective!
I am sure Dave is anxious to get home and tell all of you, all the wonderful things that I can not possilby share in an email. Good thing Dave has call waiting! I think he’ll be burning up the phone lines when he gets home!
Blessings to you all, and thank you for your encouraging emails, your thoughts and all your prayers,
September 25th, 2006
