The day has finally arrived: time to go home. I did not have any perceivable changes since I got my 5th injection on Monday, but I have had a lot of energy. I done some shopping, went to restaurants, harassed nurses, doctors, and patients, and got my stuff all packed. Dad completed some last second gift shopping, completed the last English class, took a bunch of pictures, and got all his stuff packed.
We received a nice send off from many of the Beike staff, nurses, doctors, therapists, patients, and new found friends. Sid rode with us to the airport and helped get us through check-in and we got a warm goodbye from him. This place just would not have been the same without Sid.
I could rave for several paragraphs about this trip because we learned so much, not only about the history and culture of China, but about life. Instead, I will share what dad wrote as a farewell to the doctors, nurses, therapists, and stem cell staff of the 10th floor:
We deeply appreciate the efforts of the nurses, doctors, and staff of the 10th floor, 463rd Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army.
You gave us more than medicine, you gave us hope, you gave us memories, and you gave us friendships. You are a beautiful people in a beautiful land, rich in history, and admired for your tradition.
It is our sincere wish that we remain friends through time, and that our governments will remain open and respectful of the people of each country so that we may forever hold hands across the ocean between us.
The Hrabiks
October 26, 2006
November 5th, 2006
It has been a few days since my last injection. I am feeling really good, but I haven’t any new movement to report. I am ready to get out of the hospital some before we spend umpteen hours on planes to get back home. So, while I do some gift shopping and make my rounds seeing fellow patients a few more times before our departure, I am turning over the blog to my dad so he can descibe his visit to Mr. Pai’s house:
A few days ago, when I was visiting Ms. Pai, we were looking at images of our house Linda had sent via the internet. We had a good number of people crowding around my computer in the hospitality room. Among those examining the images was Mr. Pai. Mr. Pai asked several questions about the kind of trees growing near our home. He asked me if I would be interested in coming to his house because he had some trees that he thought would interest me. How could I refuse? So, today Mr. Pai, Dr.
November 5th, 2006
We learned early this morning that I would receive my fifth stem cell injection today at 12:00 noon. The decision was made to inject the cells directly into my spinal cord sometime Sunday. Dr. Wang, the elder, performed the procedure this time. Dr. Wang had a great bedside manner and kept communicating with dad and me through the entire process, although his English was not as good as Dr. Wang, the younger. Dr. Wang emphasized that the procedure should be done slowly, and he did draw the spinal cord fluid slower than Dr. Wang the younger. Both doctors, however, exhibited excellent technique, patience, and care in administering the stem cells.
I was told to rest on my back or side for 6 hours, but after 4 hours I was ready to get back my chair (but still take it easy). I felt great after the injection and had no headache or any other reaction. In general, these injections seem to be rather routine and in my case, no reactions, except for minor headaches. The most harrying aspect of the procedure comes after the anesthetic is injected and the
October 24th, 2006
Today is a cool, blustery, and drizzly day of about 40
October 22nd, 2006
Beike and 10th floor staff teamed up today to take patients and some nurses to the International Horticulture Exposition at the far eastern edge of Shenyang. This was a very nice gesture but not all patients went on the trip; I was one of them. I have had a rather active bladder while in China and today was one of those days, so I decided to stay put. I have attached some observations and thoughts from my dad’s journal:
“The Expo is worth the time if one is at all interested in horticulture, plants, flowers, and culture. The park is represented by many nations, for example, if one wanted to see the flowers and plants of Indonesia, there is ample space for elaborate displays. Of course, China was most represented by their provinces and great cities. Over one million people have visited the site so far.
When we arrived and made it through the entrance (this after we were greeted by a score of Chinese running with our bus to be the first to hock a cheaper ticket), we saw many students from a local university touring the area. Strangely, the students all wore like uniforms, similar to a private elementary school. Countless numbers of the students were saying
October 21st, 2006
I have more good news today as I can now move all four fingers on my left hand independently of one another. This movement actually began a few days ago, but I wanted to be sure it was not a fluke before mentioning it. I still cannot move my left thumb. On my right hand, I can now touch my thumb to my little finger rather easily. This is something that was very difficult for me to do before I arrived in Shenyang. These early results are beyond my expectations. I was hoping to see improvements in a few months after the injections, so to have finger movement in my left hand this soon, one of my wishes, certainly raises my hopes for the future. I continue with 2 PT’s per day and acupuncture (except on Sundays). I also made a decision about a fifth stem cell injection. I will be given the injection intravenously next Tuesday.
October 18, 2006
October 21st, 2006
I received my fourth and last stem cell injection directly into my lower spine. In case you were wondering, the spinal cord injections are all done in the lower lumbar region to minimize any potential damage to my existing motor functions. If I underwent surgery, I would have received stem cells directly into the injured area, but as it was surgery was not needed. The procedure went smoothly and Dr. Wang allowed dad to photograph the entire procedure. For the faint at heart (if you dislike long needles), you may not want to watch.
Immediately following the procedure, dad visited with Dr. Wang about a fifth injection. Dr. Wang, who speaks English well enough to communicate with only minor clarifications, told dad that
October 18th, 2006
It has been status quo here since the last time I wrote. Dad and I got rid of our colds and passed them on to Tony and, more recently, Venus. I have had an off-again, on-again headache and stomachache, but today all seems back to normal. I have nothing new to report medically, but I have started two PT’s per day and acupuncture. I get my fourth and final spinal cord stem cell injection tomorrow (Tuesday). Dad and I have discussed a fifth intravenous stem cell injection for the following Tuesday with Dr. Wang, but no final decision has been made.
Dad has been teaching the Chinese physical therapists English for one hour each day (except Sunday) beginning last Friday. He seems to be enjoying it and says it is a rewarding experience. The
October 17th, 2006
I seem to have more signs of improved motor function and feeling. For the last three acupuncture visits, I have grimaced and laughed a bit more each time the doctor jabbed me with a needle. It doesn’t hurt, but I can feel it more each day and I laugh instead of saying,
October 13th, 2006
I received my third spinal cord stem cell injection today in the lower lumbar region. The doctors were ready for me by 10:40 am and by 11:00 am the procedure was over. I was taken to the
October 10th, 2006
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