4th and 5th Injections
October 5th, 2007
It is now Friday afternoon, October 5, and this week I have received my 4th and 5th life-changing injections which give me more hope for the future. There is definitely a Chinese connection in my life. Dr. Tek Kim from the Chicago area brought me into this world in 1983, Dr. Cho from Ft. Worth repaired my neck after it was broken, and now Dr. Mayude and Dr. Mike have given me stem cells from Chinese children. I can now officially say that I am part Chinese. The nurses have given me a Chinese name, “Ad-da.”
The stem cell injection procedure is comfortable and there isn’t much pain that I can feel. I sleep for several hours after returning from the injection, so there must be a sedative in the IV solution. I also get a second IV bag after the injection which takes about an hour to get into my veins. They leave the IV needle in back of my hand overnight in case there is some need. But in my case, I never got a fever, infection, or any other side effect. The IV solutions will pass through the body fairly quickly, so be prepared to go to the bathroom every hour or so.
Now, after my 5th injection, I am noticing more stability in my back and abdominal muscles. Dr. James and Linda, the therapists for the last 2 days, have altered my therapy to work on trunk stability and upper body balance. They devised some simple, yet effective exercises to develop more abdominal strength. My balance is improving as they get me to work on muscles that have become weak due to a lack of use over the last 18 months, since my accident. Some of the exercises I can do while in my wheelchair, but it is best to have a spotter so as not to crash. They showed me the way to get stronger; now it is up to me to continue what I have been taught.
The nurses and doctors here at Xiaoshan Hospital are so warm and friendly. They all have a common American first name for ease of communication. Many have email addresses and can be contacted after one returns home to reality. Hotmail is common here and some even have computers in their apartments. They like the webcam adn will show a picture of themselves when talking via the computer using www.skype.com. Such wonderful communications with friends and family have made my trip so much more enjoyable.
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1. liz alley | October 6th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Hi Adam,
Elizabeth has told me so much about you and your Father. She has also regained some more trunk muscles after her fourth stem cell injection, but like you, she is not sure if she had them before and didn’t know it. I will be able to tell when she gets home - moms notice any little change.
Best wishes on your future journey,
Liz Alley
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