David's SCI Treatment Blog

David’s progression!

September 25th, 2006

Hello everyone,
Dave’s eyesite continutes to improve. He does have days that are a little more off than others, where it seems his vision is more hazy than others, and some of this seems to be when he is more tired. We haven’t quite fiugured it all out, but he definitely sees better and can read so many things! It is just amazing!
Dave welcomes all emails and I even print the comments from this blog for him to read. The responses are so heartfelt and everyone is struggling with all the issues that Dave struggles with, with this disabliltiy. Any treatment offers hope to all.
Please be sure to make the font larger so that Dave can read them himself!!
Yes, that is what I said! David is now reading his own emails.
Dave’s eyesight since the last email has just progressed. Let me explain, originally, he could see. but said that his vision was inconsistent. It seemed to be clear then would get fuzzier. He has had an eye exam, and his vision is great! He does need reading glasses, but he just seems to be improving with time! It is such a gift, and it was one of the hopes Dave had before he came. He feels he will now be able to use the computer, and because he will be able to see the screen. Won’t it be fabulous….. the first email we all receive from him…..I am sure all of you cannot wait. Dave’s eyesite improving will make his quality of life so much better, and that is one of the things we had hoped and prayed for.
David had his 3rd Stem Cell on Tuesday. It was much easier than the rest because this one was by IV, and there is no down time. Dave received the IV sitting in his wheelchair. The IV circulates through the blood stream to all the major organs. There are a minimum of 10,000,000 stem cells in every injection! Think of all the organs those can travel to by IV!
When he receives the lumbar puncture, the stem cells are in the closed spinal fluid system inside the spinal cord and are hopefully concentrating on the areas of the brain that may have suffered anoxia, and the areas of the spinal cord where the signals are crossed, and lodge and start regenerating in the areas of need in his spine. Dave’s next stem cell treatment is via lumbar puncture again. He will receive a total of 6 stem cell treatments before he leaves to head home. 4 will be by lumbar puncture and 2 via IV, totalling 6. It is a tight schedule, but it seems that they will all be fit in before Dave has to leave! Thank you to Jon and all his wonderful staff for making that happen for Dave.
There are a couple of more things that have happened to Dave that are very positive. He is gaining more core strength, and was able to lift his hips up off the rehab. table. He has NEVER been able to do that. He was so pumped after he realized he had done it!( Leta Sharkey was there with her friend Mary Beth to see the whole thing too. She travled here from the US to see the miracles going on here in China.) We got that one on video too! Another improvement Dave has noticed is that he can move the fingers on his left hand more, and he can feel warm things! He could feel the warm face cloth at dinner last night, they gave us to wash our hands. That was the first time he realized that change. Norma had put the cloth on his hand and he could feel the warmth! Today when Norma was getting him ready to head to Rehab., he put his hand in the warm water and could feel that it was warm too!! He is thrilled. Things are so suttle and it seems that you just seem to all of a sudden notice them ,one by one.
National Geographic did come and interview Dave and he did a fabulous job. We were very proud of him, and I did video them taping Dave. The documentary will be out in about one year from now. I am sure Dave will let you all know when it will air on the National Geographic channel. The producer gave Dave a bouquet of Lillies, and 2 containers of yummy cookies too! She was great, and Dave could see her too!
Who would have thought even one year ago this would all be taking place, half the world away. Dave admittingly told N.G. he was a bit of a risk taker, and this is one risk that was definitely worth taking!
Just think what the potential is, and what the future holds, for many diseases, and chronic problems like Dave’s. The possibilites are endless………….
Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers………the prayers are surely being answered from our perspective!
I am sure Dave is anxious to get home and tell all of you, all the wonderful things that I can not possilby share in an email. Good thing Dave has call waiting! I think he’ll be burning up the phone lines when he gets home!
Blessings to you all, and thank you for your encouraging emails, your thoughts and all your prayers,

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