Hello everyone,
It has been almost several months since David has been home, and we are well over due for an update.
Some of you have spoken and seen Dave directly, so some of this may be redundant.
He is doing very well, and is very happy. He continues to improve, and has so much more hope in his life.
The blessing of David’s vision improving is a gift he cherishes everyday. His vision is still slightly and slowly improving and he still gets so excited! He keeps reading everything around him where ever he is, just like he did that first day in China. David reads so much he gives himself eye strain and a headache! He was so excited though, that he can now see what they are doing when he goes to the Drs. offices. The whole staff also gets so excited when they know he is coming into the office and want to hear all about his improvements, and to see the pictures of China. Everyone is amazed at all the changes that have taken place. David’s personal enthusiasm, just makes his account of all the changes even more exciting for everyone. His excitement is palpable. He has such a new meaning to his life. David’s goal is to improve enough to stand unassisted at the parallel bars! We all know that he will do it too! He is determined, and there is no stopping him now! David has truly been given a new appreciation for his life, and knows it holds so much more for him. He also knows just how much he too can make a difference in the lives of others. He will be the one we all look up to for courage, and true grit! When I ask David if he will ever go back to China for more treatments, he answers me without hesitation…..you bet. Norma said she will go back too! Imagine round two??????
He has already ordered a standing board for home, so that he can stand everyday. It should be coming in very soon. He was not able to get a therapy table at this time, because there just isn’t enough room, but he has come up with a plan where they will get a mat and use the lift to lower him to the mat to do the strengthening exercises! He is serious! It proves, where there is a will there is a way.
David did get in to see his Dr. within a couple of weeks, and he was able to get a script for rehab. He has now started doing the rehab, as well as going to the gym. His days are busy and filled with hard work but he is just thrilled. The therapist challenges him like Martin did, and maybe even a little more! He is also having aqua therapy, which is something he has never been able to accomplish before he went to China. He is now standing in the pool in Aqua therapy! I heard, that Mom and Dad just stood there with their mouths wide open when they went to watch David. It it amazing to see what he can do. His strength just keeps improving. He is able to sit from a total recline position, in the chair and sit forward and touch the floor! He says that Norma is amazed all the time at the things he just keeps doing…..just like in China, the changes are suttle, and all of a sudden they realize he is doing something better, stronger, longer and further . His endurance and strength are still changing.
Here is a list of some of the changes I wrote down when I talk with Dave.
He does feel like he is now sweating on his back. He hasn’t had it confirmed yet, but he does feel like that has been a change of recent. He feels like he has more sensations in his arms, his voice is clearer and stronger.When you talk to him on the phone you can understand him so much better.
When he does the pull downs at the gym, he is strong enough to hold them down on his knees.
There is one thing that though that he is concerned about that is happening recently. He has noticed his heart racing or beating more rapidly and they are keeping an eye on that. They are not sure of the cause, but they are monitoring it very closely. Not much more information than that at this time.
Dave has upgraded his Internet service, purchased a new lap top, and is now using the software package call Dragon Naturally Speaking. Do you all remember in on of my emails that I said just imagine the day when we get our first email from Dave? Well, true to form, I got that email, and here it is for all of you to see! Of course I did not have a dry eye while I was reading it! This is such a gift to all of us, but especially to old Davey Boy….he has a new purpose, new hope and a new lease on life!
Dear Sally
surprise! I’m actually sitting at my dining room table TALKI on my computer
to a dictating in a letter to you can you believe this? This is absolutely
unbelievable! I sent a letter to Paul two days ago and have not heard back from
him I don’t know if it went through or if there was a problem with my
transmission hopefully you will get this one I want to thank you so much for all
you’ve done and everything you sacrifice and all the work that went into my trip
and went into everything from the day I was injured it I don’t know where I
would be if you had not done the things that you did and i certainly wouldn’t be
sitting here talking on my computer,, this is a huge step forward for me! I
hope you can shed this with the people in China on the blog and with the rest of
the family I love you so much Sally and how much! all means so much to me more
than you will ever know, ! Let me know if Paul did not receive his e-mail and
I’ll send them another one and then I don’t hear from you I’ll assume you did that received this one modern technology is sometimes hard to
figure out that this Dragon software is going to be a door opened up for me
I can’t wait to see you again I’ll talk to you soon I love you and miss you
all my love
Davey bo y
Now isn’t that just a heart stopper?!?! It sure was for me!
Paul and I are so proud of David. He works hard, he has such great faith and he
is an inspiration to all of us. I will continue to track his progress and report
every 30-60 days, unless there is some absolute miracle that just can’t wait to
be broadcasted to everyone.
David has also become a great uncle again. His sister Karen’s oldest daughter
has had a healthy baby boy named Braden! David is a great uncle once more!
I will begin to close this updated broadcast for now. Not until I mention that
The holi day season is approaching very rapidly. We will all be caught up in the
holiday bustle. Let us not forget to give thanks for all the blessings
that are a part of each of our lives on a daily basis. Remember why we are all
here, and why we never, ever should give up……..David is a perfect example
of why you never give up!
Keep the hope alive, because the hope truly does live here!
Love,
Dave, Paul, Norma and Sally
November 13th, 2006
October 3rd, 2006
The first pic is of David with his brother Paul, 2 months after David was first injured 4 years ago. Look how sick he was. Now look at David, doing a high 5 with his nurse Norma, doing a sit up in his wheel chair, turning on his side in rehab, looking like his nickname they gave him in China of “Big Bear”, on the standing board, and that look of determination on his face in rehab. It is amazing how far he has come, and still can go.
October 3rd, 2006
October 3rd, 2006
Hi all,
This is my final update on Dave, while he is in China. It is Monday in China, and their flight leaves at 9:55 pm, Monday night from Hong Kong.
First of all Dave can now move his legs like he is swimming and he can also bend his own knees like he is walking! He is also getting more movement in the fingers in his hands. He feels the biggest improvement is his breathing. He feels it is so much stronger. He still has good days and hazy days with his sight. Yesterday, was a good day for his sight according to Paul. He had his last stem cell injection on Sat.
The biggest thing for David right now is he offered a position to one of the physical therapists, named Martin, who has been the one who has helped Dave accomplish alot of what he has in rehab. David wants Martin to come live in Florida, and give him the continued rehab. he has received in China, 6 hours a day, 6 days a week. He pushes Dave, Dave likes to be challanged and Martin has been awesome at that! Martin does accupuncture as well as all the other treatment modalities. Dave and Paul have been in negotitations with Martin and have been ironing out all the details in the contract for this to take place. It is a big step for everyone. I haven’t heard the final on that one, but it is a giant step in continuing the process that has begun in China.
I am guessing at this one being a 1/2 of a world away, but Dave must see the light at the end of that dark tunnel finally, and he probably feels like it is not that big train coming at him anymore!
Like I have said all along, Hope Lives Here and I believe that light is the hope for a better quality of life that Dave has been given the opportunity to achieve. He knows that the work does not stop once he leaves China, the work has only just begun!
I just need to make sure that I acknowledge the commitment and sacrafices that
many have made for David to be where he is today. The first is Norma. she has made the month long commitment to be away from her other job and her own family and friends to be there for David. She has provided him with the nursing services and support he has needed all month long. David could not have made this trip without Norma’s support and nursing care.
There is one other person who should also be recognized for their undying brotherly love and sacrafices he has made to make this all happen for David.
I am sure he is embarrassed at my saying this, but I will take that leap of faith and say it anyway. That would be Paul. He is the reason that this is all possible for Dave, without Paul’s support financially, personally, and emotionally, these miracles would never have taken place for David.
Last but not least is the acknowledgement of David himself. David has worked harder in rehab. than any other patient I saw in that clinic. He has gotten the truest taste of how much he still has to gain in this lifetime from the honest to goodness hard work. You get out of it what you put into it. His attitude towards his recovery has determined his altitude, ( as Bonny said), and he did shoot for the moon (as mike & Mona said). ( many more quotes, just can’t remember them all at this writing)
David is living proof of what real hope can truly give someone.
Hope is what keeps someone from giving up when they feel they just can’t do it anymore.. Hope is what remains in the heart of a true believer. It is hope, faith and love that are the true gifts that one can be given in this lifetime. Each and everyone of you are an example of that love. It is that love that is the truest gift that Dave could ever recieve on God’s good earth. Thank you for your thoughts and prays for David and his recovery. There are so many of you out there that David doesn’t even know about, who have prayed for David since his injury. To all your family, and friends, thank you for your undying support previously, now, and in the future.
Thank you’s also must go out to the entire staff of STEM CELLS CHINA, for making this program possible for people like Dave. Thank you for all the extra effort you have put into assisting us and all the others, and making the Stem Cells Unit a home away from home.
Thank you’s also go out to all the staff, Drs.,nurses, Ot’s and Pt’s and helpers at the Nanshan Hospital, in ShenZhen.
Dave also wanted 2 others to be recognized, and that is his Mom and Dad.
They were there every single day, the entire time Dave was so sick and in the hospital. He cries whenever he tries to talk about it, so I decided it was time to put it in this broadcast, and that Dave thanks them for their love and commitment to him.
Let us all learn from this experience……whatever appreciations and lessons we may.
Like Mother Threse said,”God does not command us to do great things….just little things with great love”.
October 2nd, 2006
Dave was having a massage at this wonderful place in ShenZhen, and his left hip was really bothering him, and he was uncomfortable for at least a week, so he booked a massage before he had his last lumbar puncture because he knew he would be still having to lie flat for 6 hours. During his massage he realized that all of a sudden he was actually rubbing his own hip!! I actually wasn’t there to see it myself, but Dave couldn’t wait to tell me about it when he saw me. Dave was thrilled to say the least, he couldn’t stop talking about it! Things are so suttle when you realize they are happening and they are things Dave used to do, and hasn’t done them since the injury. When he does them, it is like wait a minute, did you see that? You have to validate what you saw, because it is so suttle you almost think that it didn’t happen. Dave just beams like a little kid when he realizes he has done something new.
Dave has worked very hard in rehab, and his determination is making him push himself more than I would have imagined. He works very, very hard in therapy, but the benfits are paying off for him for sure. It seems that the standing board is the hardest for Dave, and makes him the most sore. His feet, legs and hips ache, and I believe that it is due to the stretching and use of all those muscle, joints, tendons and ligaments that he hasn’t used in 4 1/2 years. That is why he was having his heavenly foot massage again.
We all feel that the best thing he can do for himself when he returns home is to continue the diligent therapies and rehab. on a daily basis like he is doing here. That is the biggest hurdle for him when he returns home. If you have a chronic problem, you are limited by the number of rehab. treatments you are allowed, and this is the biggest hurdle all people face like Dave. The stem cells need a chance to lodge where they need to be and grow, and regenerate where they will. Dave will continue to see gains once he returns home, and not just here in China. The key for everyone with an SCI injury to keep their muscles and joints from stiffening, wasting and contracting is the daily rehab. and treatment modalities to be continued. I cannot stress that point enough. David’s combintation of therapies has proven that fact in this trip here to China. Some of the rehab. is just back to the basics that everyone can do on their own if they stay motiviated and make it part of their daily rountine, So to all of you out there who are waiting until you can have stem cells, get yourself on a regular schedule of exercises daily. Have you care givers assist you to do the things that you cannot do on your own, and make this part of your daily routine. Strengthen everything you can and build your core and even with that you will notice big gains. Stay motivated and focused, because the benefits you reap will be worth the effort. If there is anything we have all learned from this trip to China, it is the importance of using basic eveyday exercises to build yourself back up. You will not only benefit physcially, but you will benefit emotionally. Never give up hope, ever.
September 25th, 2006
Dave seems to have leveled off a bit and has definitely seen some suttle changes. Some of the changes that he has noticed that are just more suttle are as follows: he feels his breathing is stronger, his voice is stronger when he speaks and he also feels general over all improvement in his core strength. He is still dealing with his vision fading in and out where some days he sees better than others. I think this will be the case until things level off a bit. He is able to lift his hands up to his chin from a sitting position which he was only able to do from a reclined position before. He can now use his hand to rub his own hip when it bothers him. To us with full mobility, we do these things unconsiously. To those with these disabilities, these are major leaps and bounds. We all believe that all the modalities, and David’s hard work, along with the stem cells has made all these improvements possible. David will be leaving on 10/2 to return home. That is just a week away. He had another IV stem cell treatment on Monday, and he will have 1 more L.P. stem cell treatment on Sat. That will be his last. He will return home and continue all the rehab. on a daily basis to improve his on going progress. We knew when we travelled here that there were not guarantees, everyone is different, but David has worked hard, the modalities are a comibnation of things that all seem to work if the person participates at their full capacity. Like Dave’s friend Bonny said, “Your altitude depends on your attitude”, and she sure was right. Will do another post in a few days so stay tuned!
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,
September 25th, 2006
Dave is now reading his own large print emails from friends and family! He is so thrilled! He hasn’t been able to read in 41/2 years. He reads slowly of course since it has been so long, and his brain needs to reconnect but wiith practice this too shall improve. It is just amazing that he is reading at all. He really read very well, and of course we captured it on video and with still pictures. Some of the changes are so suttle that they really can go unnoticed at first, such as the decrease in pain and spasms. You realize during one of the transfers that the spasms are less. Then you start realizing that the imrovements are more than you realized or even hoped for. Dave’s eyesight improving was a big hope for him, and he is hoping for continued improvement with time. His independence depends on his visual capabilities with his other disabilities, so pray for the best. Never, ever give up hope. More to come in the next several days, but didn’t want to wait to advise others of this change!
September 17th, 2006
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