Archive for January, 2007
I’ve just finished my last IV stem cell potion. I tried to con another bag of stem cells out of Debbie (one of the nurses) but didn’t get anywhere. We are going out for dinner with Jon and some other patients. We think they are all very sad about us going but they say it is a good riddance Aussie party, I know they couldn’t possibly mean that.
This will be my last blog entry from China. I will update when I get back to Australia and get my exercise regime organised. I was asked to estimate in percentage terms my overall improvements. This is really hard to do objectively and put a numerical value to. My walking is steadier, speech not as slurred, more confident going up stairs, writing still slow but more legible, coordination has improved somewhat and most importantly spending a month over here with people from all over the world with all sorts of injuries and diseases my attitude to life with difficulties has improved. Garry always says to me ‘There is always someone worse off than you’ and he is so right. I’ve also realised that having a problem such as ataxia is nothing to be ashamed about, no matter how I look when I walk or fall.
The staff at Nan Shan hospital have been outstanding. My therapist Dr Wang is great. He has made (or tried to) my therapy sessions fun and he and Garry have got along very well. Most importantly he knows his stuff and doesn’t leave me unattended or waiting for him. My Doctors have been cheerful, friendly, very professional without being the least bit arrogant. The nurses on the 14th floor are very friendly and professional. Joe one of the Beike staff members who does the patient videoing has gone out of his way to help us in other ways from the smallest ipod problem to fixing all of our computer problems. Last but definately not least are Jon’s girls. Sunny is a fantastic manager and between her and the other girls every wish and whim of ours has been met. Sunny, Jillian and Andria gave up a lunch hour and showed us where to go for a massage, we have been taken to dinner, the hairdresser, Windows of the World just to name a few. If anyone asked me if I was Dissatisfied with anything I would have to say nothing that these people could control.
I am very glad I came and I’m determined to ensure more improvements are yet to come.
January 26th, 2007
Today one of my nieces who also happens to be my Goddaughter turned two! So Happy Birthday Princess. I had my worst homesick day yet today. Dr Yung (head of the program, who has performed two of my spinal injections) suggested that my improvements have been so great I would benefit from another month of treatment. I burst out crying and said no way I have to go home to my boys. He didn’t quite understand the significance of my 5 year old starting kindergarten and my need to be there. Of course, Garry says ‘and who is going to pay for another month’ with all the hand gestures. Anyone who knows Garry would be able to imagine the exagggerated hand movements. Someone later in the morning asked if I had a cold and Garry replied so compassionately ‘no, she is having a sulk day’.
After a strenous physical therapy session in which I walked 1km in under 10 minutes, (hands free) Garry and George went for a cut throat shave at the barbers. The chinese barber started to shave George dry. The guys soon protested. By the end of Garry’s his knuckles were white and said he would never do that again.
The voice machine works by giving your throat muscles small electric shocks to wake them up, I guess. Anyway, the machine can be turned up or down depending on the level of stimulation that your throat can handle. George and I have been having competitions to see who could get it to the highest level. He actually maxed the machine out a few days ago but I did today too. I’m not sure if it’s the machine or the stem cells or a combination of both but people have commented on that my speech is now not as slow and the slurring is a little better. Maybe now people won’t think I’m drunk in the middle of the day.
Tomorrow is my last stem cell treatment. It will be through an IV hopefully I will be ‘pumped up’ and have heaps and heaps of energy for the trip home.
January 25th, 2007
Tomorrow will be my last full day of therapy as Friday afternoon I have my last stem cell IV and Saturday we are heading home. At this stage Saturday cannot come fast enough. We have made some really great friends here which I know we will stay in contact with, they have made our time in China almost fun.
I have not reached the point where I wanted to be by now but there have been improvements, which have made me pretty happy. I am now more independent when walking and I’m definately steadier on my feet. I did picture myself carrying my own luggage out of the hospital and running across the tarmac at home to meet my boys. This is not going to happen and I’m getting vibes that perhaps I’m a little impatient and maybe these goals were unrealistic. I will keep working towards these kinds of goals at home.
If my determination, the Therapists support, the special chinese potions, the nurses care and Sunny’s crews support was enough I would make the next Australian Olympic Team. These people mentioned above have also laughed politely at Garry’s jokes, making him feel better too.
Anyway another full day of therapy tomorrow and I will give it everything I have.
January 24th, 2007
Well 4 sleeps left in China and 5 until I see my boys. I can’t wait! Happy Birthday Patrick Lane! It seems as though we are missing everyones birthday this year.
I don’t have a headache today like I did after last weeks stem cell lumbar puncture. I do however have a sore back which is understandable after what I saw yesterday. Even though I was meant to go in first George somehow wrangled his way in there, but, then shortly afterwards they wheeled me in. So I watched the whole procedure done on George before they put me to sleep. It was totally amazing and I can totally understand why your spine hurts for a few days afterwards.
Anyway I made sure I laid flat on my back for six hours without moving, I had a wet washer with ice on my forehead the whole time I laid down. I only moved to go to go to the toilet, I ate 2 bananas, drank heaps of water and laid down again, trying to stay still all night. Anyway it worked, no headache. At lunch time George, Garry and I went for a massage this too helped.
I had a test today to see if there had been any improvements. All the exercises I had improved a little except for standing on one leg and walking in a very straight line heel to toe. This my therapist and I will continue to work on.
Jon has made it back to Shenzhen so a few of us are heading out for dinner. Should be great, Jon knows where to go and what to order.
January 23rd, 2007
Today is my eldest nieces’ birthday. Seven years old, I wish I was there with you. I hope you are having a wonderful day with my Jack and Harry.
Stem cell day today, my last spinal injection. There are 4 patients having stem cells today. George & I decided we would go first. Then we had to play scissors, paper, rock to see who would go first out of us two and warm up the doctor. I won, (I think) I go first anyway. Between George and I, we will have this hospital running ship, shape before we leave. George and Melissa do not go back to Canada until the 2/2/07. They have threatened to steal our passports so we don’t leave until they do but there isn’t anything that would keep us from catching the plane on Saturday. 5 sleeps left in China.
Therapy today was a bit of a disaster. The muscles in the calves of my legs are really tired and sore and my feet are still aching from all the walking. I think you have to find a happy medium between not doing to much on the days where you don’t have any therapy and making sure you don’t go stir crazy in the hospital with nothing to do. We had a fantastic day yesterday, I laughed all day at George and Garry, Sunny and Jilly’s organisation for a bus load of patients who don’t speak chinese was outstanding but I’m paying for it today with ‘muscle sore’ as my therapist says.
The pictures below show some of the important balancing exercises I have been doing and The Beautiful King and Queen of China.
Garry looks very comfortable with his arms around another woman.
January 22nd, 2007
well folks we have been around the world today. a group of patients and a few staff hired a bus (not very wheelchair friendly ) and went on a day trip to china’s “wonders of the world theme park”. it was a good outing and a fair hike around the whole park, we viewed things such as the grand canyon, sydney opera house, niagara falls, leaning tower of pizza(you know what i mean) pyramids, amazon etc . we finished the day with dinner at a chinese restuarant for the group which was very good.
rachel walked the whole way today and now is very tired (as the rest of us are), she had one fall into a garden today, the first one in a while whilst trying to take a photo of me with rhino. she will post some photos tomorrow when we recharge the camera battery.
the girls got george and i to dress up in traditional chinese costumes at one site at the park (i was wearing the male and george the female). we had our photo taken and then were swamped by people of all nationalities wanting to have their photo taken with these strange blokes. it took us for ever to finish the photo shoot and to top it off had to pay for the hire of the costumes (watch for the photos tomorrow).
rach lines up for last spinal stem cell tomorrow so hope goes better than last week.
January 21st, 2007
hello followers
rach is just having an iv (intraveinous drip containing herbs and spices) so my turn to write.
rach woke up a bit wobbly today after a poor nights sleep which was a bit of a surprise after a better effort in rehab y’day. (i woke up ok and cooked bacon and eggs to get her going) yes the eggs here are just like back home except they have a smiley face on them (humptys brother i think). although rach was a bit unsteady we followed our plan for today and went back to the railway station mall to let them have another go at us (rach did not get lost today).
it was good sport and i can look forward to seeing rachel shop back home now with her well honed haggling skills. (she still has to answer , Do you need it, will you wear it more than once and would garry have bought this (i like this one because i know the answer).
i had to man handle a couple of chaps that grabbed rach a bit forcefully and almost knocked her over (especially since she was a bit wobbly today). i had some young ladies woman handle me to the same level earlier in the attempt to get a sale and i thought that was great. THE GOLF CLUBS ARE COMING HOME (my mate chris ramsey said i deserved them)
garry
January 20th, 2007
Well I’ve been out of action for a few days. The last spinal stem cell injection did not go well for me. I was awake for the whole procedure, then the whole 5 hours flat on my back and the stem cells were late getting to the hospital so by the time I was wheeled into “THE ROOM” I had a bucket as I thought I was going to be sick. I guess I just got a little worked up. The actual Lumbar Puncture I don’t feel ,as they have previously put in a needle to anethatise the area. I sure did feel the headache afterwards though and the sharp pain up and down the spine whenever you move.
I have painted a pretty horrible picture but it has all been worth it, especially this afternoon in therapy when I walked 7km/hr on the treadmill without having to hang onto anything. I am still working on the stairs without hanging on. I spoke to Dr Yung today (one of the head doctors working with the stem cells) and I told him he must have me running before I leave in 8 days time. One of the other Chinese people working for Beike suggesed that I should be patient. I did try to explain that I am normally a patient person, for some reason Garry thought this was most amusing.
January 19th, 2007
yes i missed writing yesterdays blog, rachel had rehab in the morning which was not as good as she would have liked. following a bad nights sleep she was very lethargic and struggled with some of the execises that had went very well the day before. the stem cells arrived late to the hospital yesterday so it was after 5 pm when rachel got back to the room. i would normally write the blog on her return whilst she was asleep, but yesterday she did not sleep for the 5 hours lying on her back after the spinal injection so did not stay away long.
this morning she woke up very sore (as usual after a spinal injection) and a mild headache. she went down to do OT but was feeling worse by the minute and was scaring the nurses with how pale she was. looking like death warmed up we came back to the room and she had a shot in the bum for her headache and slept for a few hours. hopefully the afternoon is better for her.
After the injections any quick movements like laughing, coughing etc give her a sharpe pain up her back and into her head. so i am on strict instructions not to say anything funny or make her laugh (now this is hard because you know that i am a pretty funny bloke) so i will be in my shell today but ready to go tomorrow.
January 18th, 2007
Today was just another day in rehab. Nothing special to report. I think I’m sleeping a little better. Something better come out of needles sticking out of my head.
Another stem cell spinal injection tomorrow. Another day of fasting and laying completely flat and still for 6 hours. I think I’ll go and have a manicure and pedicure whilst I’m waiting. I have managed to grow my nails some as I don’t have time to think about chewing my nails.
We have some people leaving tomorrow from Canada. It is always a bit sad to say goodbye as you have been living in each others pockets and then you may not see them again. It is a different kind of family on the 14th floor of Nan Shan Hospital, China.
January 16th, 2007
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