I was in China in Jan 2008 for the stem cell treatment. I have SCA 1. Please do look at my blog. Overall I am happy with the effects of the treatment. I am sure you will get good results too. The main thing is to maintain a positive atttude and carry out a regular PT program.

I read about Bryan and Wendy. I think I have spoken to him a few times. If he is still there, please tell him I said Hi.

Bye for now.

RV in Toronto (Viswanathan)

I am so grateful that you have people there that you not only can share meals and the experience with, but that you feel comfortable enough to do so. That is really a huge bonus! Take down email addresses, you will definitly want to keep in touch. And I totally agree that your ‘step back’ was 99% due to exhaustion and maybe 1% due to what they told you to expect. Keep moving forward and we will all look back on this experience (and the past 2 years) as something of the PAST, I know it, I am so sure of it. I only get so much good luck in one year and all of it is coming to fruition in you. And let me tell you, this is the best good fortune I could be hoping for!!!!

Yeah, yeah, go eat some dumplings!

Love,
Your little sis

No doubt it is a let down to not feel the rush like you did after the first treatment. I have no idea how this stuff is supposed to work, but it seems to me to be important that you had a positive experience the last time. The only thing you know for sure is there is not a direct relationship between the amount of pain to the amount of gain!

Esther, I remember eating that stuff! I wonder if they still eat that in Armenia? Well, good to know nothing goes to waste. Although it does confuse the meaning of waste in my mind…hmm.

Yaaaaaaay…happy birthday Miranda!

Patryce, I think your anniversary is the same day as Grandma and Grandpa Avsharian’s?

till tomorrow…xoxox

Great blog. Melissa, you’re right – no better person to write up on this whole thing.

To hell with three steps back; here’s to the day you lap this ataxia. Good luck next spinal – you’re in China, but as the French say, merde…

But- if you gotta do it, you just deal I guess. Thats your curse for being so buff and muscular .
Happy anniversary too! Im not sure what day it is, but i remember the florida trip and nightime and fireworks.
Dave and my anniversary was on the 21st, and Miranda’s 2nd birthday is tommorow (the 26th). No big party planned, just us taking the kids to ‘monkey bizness’ where they have jungle gym and bouncy stuff, and then probably a little cake from whole foods (im so lame, i’ll have to make a homemade cake one of these days- all cake-baking is a bit tricky here at 7000 feet..they do strange things and bubble then fall). is there any food there that is new and that you like? The mystery sauce I guess. I’ll be they have all kinds of weird exotic fruit there..i remember trying some weird asian stuff i had never heard of before when we were in hawaii.

well, enough babbeling. Enjoy a bit of a break and rest and keep up the good patient routine. We are thinking of you here and are sending some good healing, accurate needle-placement vibes,
-p
xoxoxo

Did your grandmother Avsharian ever make lambs head stuffed with rice pilaf and they also ate the eyes, brains, and tongue (no corn)? Seems most all Armenians liked it but I never was keen on it.
Anyway, I am so sorry you feel you are taking steps back. Any kind of sickness or surgery you feel worse the third day before you start feeling better, so hopefully, that is the case for you. I am following you in your blogs and know that you WILL be better.
Love,
Cousin Esther