Archive for December, 2006
Rachel had here first stem cell treatment yesterday afternoon. It involved fasting for 4 hours b4 and 4 after the treatment (spinal injection) as well as lying perfectly still for 4 hrs. When she woke last night after the 4 hrs she had a terrible headache which has persisted all night and this morning. the doctors have given her more intravenus drips to get her fluids back up and have given her several shots to try and stop the ongoing headache. Rach is asleep at present, so we missed our rehab this morning.
The rehab process is intense and the people are very dedicated (so are the patients). Some try to speak english which can be both frustrating but also entertaining (their english is as good as my chinese…. perhaps they are a bit better). I had a competition with a couple of the rehab doctors yesterday trying to see who could start-stop a stop watch the quickest. This cracked them up and now they spend some time trying to come up with the best time (at least they smile at me every time I walk past)
We will try and make rehab this arvo if rachel improves.
Hope all is well with everyone back home. We miss the boys and are anxious that we not been able to talk to them since we have arrived here due to the earthquake damage off Taiwan. Hopefully it will be fixed next week
Regards
Garry
December 30th, 2006
My first stem cell injection is this afternoon. I cannot eat or drink a for four hours prior to the injection and four hours afterwards. I’ve had my accupunture and rehab exercises this morning but none this afternoon. There will be no therapists working Monday or Tuesday because of New Year public holidays.
We still haven’t been able to contact anybody back home. I really need to speak to my children. I,ve been really worried about Garry being bored whilst we are here, but he has a ball in the rehab ward with the therapists. He has got them having compeitions with the hand weights and the stop watches. Yesterday two therapists were meant to be conducting some physical tests with me and instead he had them doing races with the stop watches and then laughing at each other.
Last night Sunny and Lillian drove us to Walmart to get some groceries. This was quite an experience. The shopping was fun and the car ride was incredible. The amount of car horns going off and the lack of road rules was hilarious.
My whole body is aching today. They don’t hold back on the rehab exercises. Every muscle in my body aches and during exercises my legs shake pretty badly. Today I was meant to be on one knee whilst the other knee is up, then I have to lift my arms above my head carrying a weighted stick. This was very difficult due to the muscle aches in my legs and the shaking. It is very frustrating when your brain is telling your legs and arms what to do but they won’t listen.
I was also videod today. One of the questions they asked me was ‘What are your expectations of the treatment?’ My reply was of course “to be cured’. It is no good coming over here with anything but high hopes. If I have to I will deal with anything less later. There is only room for postive thinking here. I am really thisty and it is still 3 hours until the stem cells are here.
December 29th, 2006
We are here! We got in late last night and there was a doctor here waiting for me. Translation has not been a major problem so far. Most speak a few words of English then there is alot of hand gestures. Everyone here at the hospital is very helpful. This morning I was taken to the accupunture room where they then connected the accupunture needles to electricity; an interesting experience. This afternoon I’ve had both hands and arms massaged plus about an hour of exercise which was tiring. Garry says I’m walking better already perhaps the placebo effect working on him. We have met a Canadian woman, Christine and her father Ben who are both very nice and have been extremely helpful. Christine, like me suffers from Ataxia. She had her first stem cell injection last night, she and her father are very optimistic. My first stem cell injection is scheduled for Friday afternoon. Tomorrow is another day for accupunture, massage and rehab exercises.
We haven’t as yet been able to contact my boys or anyone else for that matter – computer problems over here which I was hoping to avoid. I miss my boys so much, every time we see something of interest we make a comment about how the boys would love that. There are so many buttons and cords in my room they would both have a field day. We passed a street stall today where they sold little knick knacks very cheaply, they were just like our $2 shops back home – Jack would have loved them. I will keep trying to call home, hopefully I will get a positive result soon.
December 27th, 2006
Today is December 16. My Husband (Garry) and I Will fly out of Australia December 26. We leave, in Australia, with family, two Sons, Jack aged 8 nearly 9 and Harry aged 5. They don’t of course have a full understanding of what or why we are going to China. They just hope Mum comes home with her wobbly legs fixed.
This blog has been created for two reasons. The first of which is paramount to my family and to Garry’s. Our life for a couple of weeks will be in the hands of Chinese Doctors at Nan Shan hospital, Shenzhen. Everyone back in Australia will be able to follow the ‘Days of Our Lives’ without any concern for our welfare. The second reason is my concern for those suffering neuroligical disorders of any kind where the process of stem cell therapy may be of assistance. I am undertaking this journey because of what I have read over the internet and have thus been able to contact people who have been through the procedure and have had some success. I am striving for a full recovery, (not that I expect it immediately or without a lot of hard work) that is, being able to walk down the street and people not think you are drunk. The decision to go to China was by no means an easy one. Lots of questions and soul searching had to take place before all doubts were put to bed. The general advice and assistance I have recieved from Mac and Jill Keenan and their son Chris has been invaluable. They have given me the courage and optimism needed to undertake this journey. Thanks Mac, Jill and Chris.
December 17th, 2006
