Archive for October, 2008
Well PT and Electro therapy were easy, as was acupuncture. I’ve been doing all 3 for a year and a half, I guess practice does make perfect. Martin, who runs PT and acupuncture, is excellent.
And then, there was the first stem cell treatment. Kind of anti-climactic, being just an IV, but I do feel better. The hardest part was the little girl who reminds me of one of my own daughters, who screamed the entire time. It breaks your heart to see all these poor kids. My friend Jim, who is on the same track, and I felt so helpless. You wish you could do something, anything. And yet, a few hours later, she was happy as a clam, and her Mom noticed a definite improvement.
For some reason, my computer refuses to recognize its own DVD player. Probably the jostling it got on the plane. I was supposed to take it for repair today. but by the time we were ready, I would’ve had to leave it overnight. Not!
On the food front, I got pizza again tonight for dinner. It had corn on it.
I’m looking forward to my first spinal infusion Friday, spring training is over, bring on the regular season.
October 20th, 2008
I think jetlag has hit. Yesterday, I ordered a pizza for dinner and lay down to read. The nurse woke me at 5, I thought it was morning,and why did I sleep with my clothes on? Last night, I stayed up ’til 2 talking on Skype, woke up late and had my kids vey peeved with me for not answering their calls. Maybe I’ll adjust by the time I leave…
After several days of doing nothing, finally get started tomorrow. Acupuncture at 8:30, electric wave therapy at 9, physical terrorist 9:30-10:15. And…1st stem cell injection in the afternoon! It’s only IV so it should be cake. 1st spinal is Friday.
I’m starting to notice more subtle differences between here and home (US). Went downstairs for X-ray and they had the lights out in the corridors. No hot water between 10 pm and 8am. And some not so subtle ones. Everyone is in a hurry, but they’re extremely polite. Even the taxi drivers are nice, they honk their horns, but it’s not in anger, like a NY cabby. All the people I’ve run across, from Drs. to cleaning ladies are nice. I must say, it takes getting used to.
Just had my temp taken for 4th time today. It lends a whole new meaning to “stick it in your ear”…
October 19th, 2008
Getting settled in. Flight was too long, but OK. United told me I had disabled seating. When I got on the plane, the flight attendant said there was no such thing! If your airline has it, get economy plus. For an extra $180 (I think) you get a bulkhead seat. The extra leg room is key for the getting vertical-challenged.
Chinese customs is very thorough. After the search, I felt like they shoud’ve at least bought me dinner first. They confiscated my shaving gel. I’m taking it as a sign from my father to grow a beard (as well as some cerebellar cells) while I’m here.
Didn’t sleep on the plane (watched Hancock 4 times, memorized the lines) so I slept like a stone last night…or this morning, still not sure. Today, I got an exam, a physical therapy evaluation, and went with Jack (one of the interpreters, nice kid) and a fellow ataxian named Jim and his wife to go shopping.
Qingdao is nice, if a bit on the industrial side. Traffic is nuts, I thought we bought the farm more than once, but apparently, it was S.O.P.
Another point: be careful with the outlets; I plugged in an adapter and blew out the power on half the floor, way to make a 1st impression, but no one was bugged, apparently it happens a lot. And the internet is a bit iffy.
Anyway, my first stem cell treatment is Monday, the 20th, until then, PT, OT and waiting.
October 17th, 2008
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