Before Stem Cell therapy, I could not wear glasses my vision was so bad. I could tell between dark and light, I could make out shapes and outlines of people.I could never see peoples faces, see steps, curbs, watch the TV, read or drive.
My color vision was limited. I could not see red or green. My vision was like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing and these pieces were grey/white in colour. I was also only able to count fingers from around 2 foot.
Course of Treatment
4 IV stem cell transplants, 4 spinal stem cell transplants Accupuncture Electric Wave therapy Massage
Reason for Coming for Treatment
In April 2004, I woke up one morning seeing perfectly normal. I went to college and done my day there. After college finished, I headed downstairs,I missed a step because I couldn't see it. I could see fine again after this and a few days passed. I then woke up and I couldn't see very much. My vision was blurry, jigsaw like and I couldn't see my parents faces when they came into my room. I told them that there was a problem with my eyes and I was then brought into our optician in town. She knew something serious was wrong and she brought me up to the consultant in Galway Hospital. I was brought in for numerous tests over a few weeks. All they knew was that my optic nerve was inflamed, optic neuritis, only problem was they didn't know why.
I was admitted into hospital for a few weeks, where I had Iv steroids to help bring down the inflammation. Everything was ruled out at this stage as to what caused it was then concluded that I got Optic neuritis from a virus because my B12 levels were extremely low. The steroids brought down the inflammation and I was on weekly injections of B12. Unfortunately, the damage was done, and I was left seeing the way I have seen for the last 6 years. No treatment had improved my vision. I tried everything, I went everywhere and my only option left was stem cell therapy to help restore my optic nerves to regain vision.
Condition After Treatment
After my 3rd transplant, I had a feeling something was working. I thought I could read the eye chart better but I didnt believe myself, thinking it was a placebo effect. I remember looking out our window from the hospital and seeing a red squiggle (a Chinese dragon) on the roof across the road. I said to my boyfriend, Matthew, without realising it, "Oh look theres a red dragon!" He looked at me funny and said "What?"
I repeated it again and he jumped up and looked out and said "You can see the red?" I could make out the colour red for the first time in 6 years. When I first arrived in Qingdao, I could see the top letter of the eye chart from 1.03 meters in my right eye, 1.0 m in my left. After my 4th transplant this jumped up to 1.87m in my right and 1.10m in my left. From here, I began noticing steps, curbs.
I bought red clothes. I brought the software on my laptop down by 2 sizes. On leaving China, the top letter was now seen by 2.97 m in my right and 2.07 in my left. All my tests showed remarkable improvement.
Home From China
Since coming home, I can make out peoples faces, I can see who is coming toward me. It's not an outline anymore, its a person and the closer they get, I make out their clothes, eyes, nose--which I could not do before. I got fitted for glasses to help me see in the distance. They help but only by brightening things and making it bolder. I can now read the eye chart, top leter from 3.65 m right eye and 2.07 left eye. I have loads more confidence, I now walk around town and I notice the steps and stairs.
I have a long way to go but stem cells have given me sight back that I was told I would never get back. I said to myself leaving Ireland, if I get any bit back at all I will be so happy. But I have gone beyond dreams now. I have never been happier.I am so grateful to have been given the oppurunity to go to China and extremely thankful to the doctors, nurses, translators and Beike staff for helping us through a difficult journey.
