David's SCI Treatment Blog

Final blog while Dave is in China 10/1/06

October 2nd, 2006

Hi all,
This is my final update on Dave, while he is in China. It is Monday in China, and their flight leaves at 9:55 pm, Monday night from Hong Kong.
First of all Dave can now move his legs like he is swimming and he can also bend his own knees like he is walking! He is also getting more movement in the fingers in his hands. He feels the biggest improvement is his breathing. He feels it is so much stronger. He still has good days and hazy days with his sight. Yesterday, was a good day for his sight according to Paul. He had his last stem cell injection on Sat.
The biggest thing for David right now is he offered a position to one of the physical therapists, named Martin, who has been the one who has helped Dave accomplish alot of what he has in rehab. David wants Martin to come live in Florida, and give him the continued rehab. he has received in China, 6 hours a day, 6 days a week. He pushes Dave, Dave likes to be challanged and Martin has been awesome at that! Martin does accupuncture as well as all the other treatment modalities. Dave and Paul have been in negotitations with Martin and have been ironing out all the details in the contract for this to take place. It is a big step for everyone. I haven’t heard the final on that one, but it is a giant step in continuing the process that has begun in China.
I am guessing at this one being a 1/2 of a world away, but Dave must see the light at the end of that dark tunnel finally, and he probably feels like it is not that big train coming at him anymore!
Like I have said all along, Hope Lives Here and I believe that light is the hope for a better quality of life that Dave has been given the opportunity to achieve. He knows that the work does not stop once he leaves China, the work has only just begun!
I just need to make sure that I acknowledge the commitment and sacrafices that
many have made for David to be where he is today. The first is Norma. she has made the month long commitment to be away from her other job and her own family and friends to be there for David. She has provided him with the nursing services and support he has needed all month long. David could not have made this trip without Norma’s support and nursing care.
There is one other person who should also be recognized for their undying brotherly love and sacrafices he has made to make this all happen for David.
I am sure he is embarrassed at my saying this, but I will take that leap of faith and say it anyway. That would be Paul. He is the reason that this is all possible for Dave, without Paul’s support financially, personally, and emotionally, these miracles would never have taken place for David.
Last but not least is the acknowledgement of David himself. David has worked harder in rehab. than any other patient I saw in that clinic. He has gotten the truest taste of how much he still has to gain in this lifetime from the honest to goodness hard work. You get out of it what you put into it. His attitude towards his recovery has determined his altitude, ( as Bonny said), and he did shoot for the moon (as mike & Mona said). ( many more quotes, just can’t remember them all at this writing)
David is living proof of what real hope can truly give someone.
Hope is what keeps someone from giving up when they feel they just can’t do it anymore.. Hope is what remains in the heart of a true believer. It is hope, faith and love that are the true gifts that one can be given in this lifetime. Each and everyone of you are an example of that love. It is that love that is the truest gift that Dave could ever recieve on God’s good earth. Thank you for your thoughts and prays for David and his recovery. There are so many of you out there that David doesn’t even know about, who have prayed for David since his injury. To all your family, and friends, thank you for your undying support previously, now, and in the future.
Thank you’s also must go out to the entire staff of STEM CELLS CHINA, for making this program possible for people like Dave. Thank you for all the extra effort you have put into assisting us and all the others, and making the Stem Cells Unit a home away from home.
Thank you’s also go out to all the staff, Drs.,nurses, Ot’s and Pt’s and helpers at the Nanshan Hospital, in ShenZhen.
Dave also wanted 2 others to be recognized, and that is his Mom and Dad.
They were there every single day, the entire time Dave was so sick and in the hospital. He cries whenever he tries to talk about it, so I decided it was time to put it in this broadcast, and that Dave thanks them for their love and commitment to him.
Let us all learn from this experience……whatever appreciations and lessons we may.
Like Mother Threse said,”God does not command us to do great things….just little things with great love”.

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