Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Update from Chennai , India - Feb 20, 2008
Am in Chennai right now. Met some friends and family. They seem to feel that my walking and talking has improved. I tried but could not arrange any physiotherapy here for a few days. Seems I have to go through a doctor for that and it seems difficult to just walk in without an appointment. I guess the PT has to wait until I am back in Canada next week.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Mission Completed - 5th injection done on Feb 11, 2008
Had my 5th and last injection by IV on Monday, Feb 11, 2008. I walked to the treatment room and back - unlike previous times, when the nurses had wheeled me there and back on my bed.
My doctor stayed with me the whole time - about 45 mins. I was able to discuss some areas of interest. He told me that Beike is 2 Chinese words - Bei for "North" and Ke for "Science". Also that the stem cells are created in a lab not far from the hospital and are transported within 12 hours to ensure optimum viability. The short shelf life of the stem cells means they cannot be shipped to other centres. Other countries would have to invest in laboratories ahead of hospitals. That is, when they decide that they should adopt this technology.
I completed my discharge formalities on Feb 13. Blood and urine tests, an EKG, a lung capacity test and so on. They gave me a discharge report with contact details of the doctor. Also a questionnaire for self evaluation of the treatment and the facilities.
I left Haikou early morning on Feb 14th and am now in India. Plan to leave for Canada in a week or so. Had a fairly comfortable trip despite navigating 3 flights : Haikou-Guangzhou; Guangzhou-Kuala Lumpur; KL-Chennai.
My doctor stayed with me the whole time - about 45 mins. I was able to discuss some areas of interest. He told me that Beike is 2 Chinese words - Bei for "North" and Ke for "Science". Also that the stem cells are created in a lab not far from the hospital and are transported within 12 hours to ensure optimum viability. The short shelf life of the stem cells means they cannot be shipped to other centres. Other countries would have to invest in laboratories ahead of hospitals. That is, when they decide that they should adopt this technology.
I completed my discharge formalities on Feb 13. Blood and urine tests, an EKG, a lung capacity test and so on. They gave me a discharge report with contact details of the doctor. Also a questionnaire for self evaluation of the treatment and the facilities.
I left Haikou early morning on Feb 14th and am now in India. Plan to leave for Canada in a week or so. Had a fairly comfortable trip despite navigating 3 flights : Haikou-Guangzhou; Guangzhou-Kuala Lumpur; KL-Chennai.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Sunday - Feb 10, 2008 - Preparing for the last stem cell transplant
My fifth and final stem cell injection is scheduled for tomorrow, Monday. Feb 11, 2008.
Avid readers (if any) of this blog - :-) - will recall that I have had 4 injections already in the last 3 weeks - spinal, spinal, IV and spinal. I felt the best improvements in my movements and speech after my 3rd one which was by IV. I mentioned this to the doctors and they are now giving me the 5th one by IV. I hope this will be the right decision. I just felt that one must "listen to one's body".
More tomorrow after the injection.
We celebrated Chinese New Year/Spring Festival with plenty of fireworks and some good food. One of the nurses brought in some amazing dumplings which she had made at home. The hospital is partly shut down, though the PT room is operating. Full complement of staff will return on Wednesday.
Avid readers (if any) of this blog - :-) - will recall that I have had 4 injections already in the last 3 weeks - spinal, spinal, IV and spinal. I felt the best improvements in my movements and speech after my 3rd one which was by IV. I mentioned this to the doctors and they are now giving me the 5th one by IV. I hope this will be the right decision. I just felt that one must "listen to one's body".
More tomorrow after the injection.
We celebrated Chinese New Year/Spring Festival with plenty of fireworks and some good food. One of the nurses brought in some amazing dumplings which she had made at home. The hospital is partly shut down, though the PT room is operating. Full complement of staff will return on Wednesday.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Starting the year of the rat
It is New Year in China. It is the start of the year of the rat. The rat qualities we should try and learn from and use in our lives are - versatility, adaptibility, surviving in adverse situations....
We have 3 days off from the exercise routine starting today. Had my 4th injection 2 days ago by the spinal route. There is a big discussion going on here about whether spinal or IV is better. Many feel that spinal is better for brain-related treatments since the stem cells can travel directly to the location. However, IV seems to have worked better for me.
The doctors here mix and match spinal with IV, so that we each receive a few of each.
There are continuing improvements. Speech clarity is improving and has been noticed by friends on the phone. Overall arm/leg strength is better. Balance, though, is still a problem. I shall keep watching this.
We have 3 days off from the exercise routine starting today. Had my 4th injection 2 days ago by the spinal route. There is a big discussion going on here about whether spinal or IV is better. Many feel that spinal is better for brain-related treatments since the stem cells can travel directly to the location. However, IV seems to have worked better for me.
The doctors here mix and match spinal with IV, so that we each receive a few of each.
There are continuing improvements. Speech clarity is improving and has been noticed by friends on the phone. Overall arm/leg strength is better. Balance, though, is still a problem. I shall keep watching this.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
4th stem cell injection coming up on Feb 4, 2008
Fourth (out of 5 planned) injection is due to take place on Monday, Feb 4, 2008. Physiotherapy has been continuing since Injection #3. The doctors had an extra day of PT on Saturday since, next week, there will be 3 days off due to the new year celebration.
After the 3rd injection, I have finally started seeing some positive changes.
1. My strength seems to be improving day by day, since I am now able to do more repeats in the exercise room. I am able to do more balancing, more squats etc.
2. My handwriting seems to have improved a bit. I am able to stay on the line now, though the writing is still messy.
3. Ability to clamber up from a sitting position is better now. I am still using my hands to do the job, but the task is a little quicker now.
4. My speech clarity seems just a wee bit better, based on feedback from family and friends with who I have been speaking on the phone.
We are a small group here. One of the earlier patients left last week. A new family from India moved in. There are 3 of us who arrived the same week and are on parallel schedules. So we are able to compare notes and encourage each other.
I am feeling quite good at this stage. Expectations are sky high of course. So the next 2 injections should be crucial. The stem cells, they say, will keep working for about 6 months after we leave, so hopefully, these improvements will continue.
After the 3rd injection, I have finally started seeing some positive changes.
1. My strength seems to be improving day by day, since I am now able to do more repeats in the exercise room. I am able to do more balancing, more squats etc.
2. My handwriting seems to have improved a bit. I am able to stay on the line now, though the writing is still messy.
3. Ability to clamber up from a sitting position is better now. I am still using my hands to do the job, but the task is a little quicker now.
4. My speech clarity seems just a wee bit better, based on feedback from family and friends with who I have been speaking on the phone.
We are a small group here. One of the earlier patients left last week. A new family from India moved in. There are 3 of us who arrived the same week and are on parallel schedules. So we are able to compare notes and encourage each other.
I am feeling quite good at this stage. Expectations are sky high of course. So the next 2 injections should be crucial. The stem cells, they say, will keep working for about 6 months after we leave, so hopefully, these improvements will continue.
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