By 7am this morning the nurses were organizing me for the bone marrow blood sample. Last night I got an injection to prepare me for today’s procedure. They took my pressure, pulse and temperature. The nurse came at about 8.20am to take me to the 8th Floor, the same room where the stem cells are done.
I was turned to lie on my stomach and blood was taken from my lower back and hips. The procedure took about half an hour and I didn’t feel too much pain. Patients who have full feelings said this is a very painful process. For the rest of the day I stayed in bed. I was supposed to remain still for about 2 to 4 hours but was feeling really weak so I slept a lot. I had no acupuncture or therapy today.
Update on hip surgery: We are trying to have the surgery done on the 9th December a day after we are transferred to the orthopedics ward. The total cost is not confirmed as we would be billed daily for the room and extra for everything else. It’s an estimated US $10,000.00; with a caution fee to be paid in advance. Since our Visa’s are expiring on the 23rd December we are trying to change our tickets for that date. Again the final decision is beyond our control but that of the Doctors. Tomorrow is also my final stem cell injection so I would have a full day.
November 29th, 2007
We had a filled day with activities. In order to save time when we are transferred to the other ward for the hip surgery we requested the tests be done earlier; in our spare time. This would enable the doctors more time before we are admitted to review my medical condition. So this morning as soon as were finished acupuncture we had a CT scan done and this afternoon after PT we had an MRI done on both hips. We had to pay for each test before it was done. Everything from now not relating to stem cells would have to be paid for first. There is also a caution fee we must pay before being admitted to the orthopedics ward on the 7th Floor.
Tomorrow morning they would be taking blood sample from my spinal cord for the bone marrow transplant. These cells would be cultured for 7 days before being injected into my back on the 6th December. I would have to rest all day tomorrow and would tell you how that procedure goes then.
November 28th, 2007
Today was a normal day filled with therapy and massages. We got information on the hip replacement surgery today and we would be required to stay an estimated 20 to 25 days extra. We are the first foreign patients to have stem cells and another surgery. We would need to book another room on the 7th Floor and would be billed per day. There are wards with 3 patients in a room and they are trying to get a room for 3 of us to stay. We would be moving on the 8th of December to the 7th floor and then we would be admitted to a different department. This mean we would have different nurses, doctors and procedures to follow, we would need to undergo other tests and observations before they set a date for the surgery.
November 27th, 2007
My stem cells are scheduled for Mondays and Fridays and today I was supposed to have my 4th Injection. However after a long day with therapy I was told my schedule was wrong and I was really supposed to have it via IV instead of spinal cord injection. This took about 1 hour.
About my hip replacement surgery, the doctor said it definitely needs to be done to correct my right leg. I am still awaiting information on the cost and length of time extra we need to stay. Our 45 days Chinese VISA will expire on the 23rd December, so we need to have this done before. We do know that the surgery can be done at the same hospital we are in Shenyang but we would need to book another room in another floor, since this floor is only for stem cell patients.
November 26th, 2007
Sundays as you know is rest day, but today we had physio-therapy in the morning. We still slept late. Over the last few days I am getting all these weird feelings in my stomach especially when I need to have a bowel movement. So today they decided to take me to the toilet to see what would happen. And for the first time after my accident I sat on a toilet and had a bowel movement. It felt great! Being able to do that, with help off-course but it wasn’t such a messy job to clean..lol.
Anyway we had leftovers from the evening before so we didn’t cook lunch and all the foreign patients on the 10th Floor planned to go for dinner at the Sherington. This is an exquisite hotel and restaurant in Shenyang. About 15 of us went and had buffet dinner. We all had fun; I would post some pictures soon with this place.
November 25th, 2007
I didn’t want to get up this morning because I didn’t sleep much but had to be downstairs for acupuncture at 9am. Good thing today I had no morning therapy it was cancelled for tom so I was able to relax until 2.30pm for massage and evening therapy. Mom is cooking dinner for our friends today, Phil and Barbara are leaving next week so we are all trying to spend time and enjoy our stay as much as we could. Today’s menu is Vegetable rice, chow mien, potato salad, green salad and Wal-Mart fried chicken. Everyone is coming over to help cook and bring ingredients over. We had dinner in the lobby. This was a well spent afternoon with fun and laughter.
November 24th, 2007
Today was a very busy day with therapy and I had my 3rd stem cell injection scheduled for 4pm. It snowed today but not a much as Monday. Monday the stem cells were delayed because of the snow but today the snow wasn’t much but it did caused some delays. The stems cells are not stored at the hospital; they are flown in on injection days and used immediately on the patients.
Today I had the opportunity to see the lumbar puncture procedure and the stem cell injection on another patient. The stem cell room is on the 8th Floor and is a very small private room which accommodates two patients at once. Today Barbara, Phil’s wife one of our friends from Canada was in the room with me. Your personal Doctor is there to observe the procedure done by another Doctor with the aid of two nurses. Only special nurses are allowed in this room. My doctor was late, beds are diagonally opposite each other in the room and you are turned sideways with your face towards the wall. So I was on my back waiting for my Doctor when the other doctor began the procedure. I am not sure if I can do a proper explanation of what I saw next but I will try to be as detailed as I could.
First the area was sterilized in the back; everything was done by the Doctor with the nurse just assisting in handling him stuff he required. After the back was cleansed, he placed a square plastic like gauze with a circle hole in the middle over the area. He then wore a new sterile glove and was feeling her back for the exact spot to do the lumbar puncture. When the location was found the lumbar puncture began with a needle being inserted from the back to the spine. I believe this is the most painful part of the ordeal. This is a special needle I never saw anything like it before. A small test tube like about the length and size of your index finger was then placed over the needle which created a suction on her back. This then slow drained the spinal fluids into the test tube until it was full. The tube was removed and then the stem cells were injected into the same needle that extracted the spinal fluids; back into the spinal cord. The needle was then removed and a white neat square plaster placed over the spot. The procedure lasted about 10 to 15 minutes after which you are turned on the back to remain still for 4 to 6 hours.
I felt okay today after the stem cells until about 7pm when I started feeling so warm, I had an extra heat and was drinking water every so often. For the rest of the night I was restless feeling warm and miserable until I feel asleep about 1am.
November 23rd, 2007
Today was cooking day… mom and some of the women on the floor. Lunch time they made curry chicken with potatoes and fried bake and for dinner potato and tuna pies. As we call it in Trinidad “aloo pie and fish piesâ€. It was really good.
The bone Doctor visited me this afternoon and tomorrow they will do some tests before they diagnose the problem with my hips. I’ll let you know soon how that goes.
November 22nd, 2007
Changes continue: I am getting some sensations in my stomach which is affecting my bowels. I am feeling little gripes and weird feelings. These things are new to me also my upper back begun experiencing some pains. I am not sure if it’s the acupuncture, physio or stem cells that are causing these changes. So while I was indoors doing therapy Sunil went out with Drew’s mom to a new mall we discovered. Drew’s is another foreign patient on this floor. He has ALS and this is his second trip to China. Sunil got me a beautiful oriental Chinese dress. I was able to sleep on my stomach for a few hours comfortably with my legs being down.
November 21st, 2007
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from left to right : Drew and his mom Maria, Brandon walking and Gabriel.
