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January 3, 2009

FDA approves human embryonic stem cell study

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/23/stem.cell/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Federal regulators have cleared the way for the first human trials of human embryonic stem-cell research, authorizing researchers to test whether the cells are safe to use in spinal injury patients, the company behind the trials announced Friday.
December 9, 2008

Breathe. Relax. Don't panic!

Last night my feet were really bothering me. It was late and I have been trying to catch up on paperwork and emails and other stuff that needed to get done since coming home from Costa Rica.

I started to freak out just a little. It was about 11:30 p.m. and I was having tingling in my hands and feet, but not good tingling. It felt like when I was first diagnosed a little.

I started to think about when will I decide that I am not getting better, but getting worse. At what point do I feel MS sym...

December 9, 2008

He's gonna kill me for sharing this.

Simple fact: MS has definitely affected intimate adult moments between me and my longtime boyfriend and partner of 15+ years. I am so ecstatic to report that since I have been home, I have had increased feeling and sensation in areas I had just about given up on. Intimately and sexually, we both noticed a difference.

I wasn't sure if I should share those details, but what the heck.

I officially feel like my cold is finally gone. We are off to WalMart to buy some 2lb weights to use during my co...

December 5, 2008

I can gargle!

I'm back at home.  Sorry it has been a few weeks since my last update....

The last week of my stem cell treatment went well. There were no more earthquakes while we were there.

I continued physical therapy the rest of the week and had my last spinal injection on Friday November 21st. During the last week I was in Costa Rica, a common cold started to go around. On Monday, the girls in physical therapy were sniffling and sneezing. On Tuesday, the transportation drivers were coughing. On Wednesd...

November 18, 2008

Let's go see how much water splashed out of the pool!

I am trying to be calm after riding out an EARTHQUAKE here in Costa Rica. Only one stem cell injection left and I have to endure this!

I had my 7th stem cell spinal injection on Monday as well as an IV injection of my own stem cells. This injection hurt much more than the others, but only for a few seconds. The doctor who is giving the spinal injections is so "aware" of how I am feeling and he is so smooth. As soon as the discomfort and pain hit, he corrected and all was better. This injection...

November 14, 2008

Week 3 Update from Costa Rica

I am still in San Jose, Costa Rica. I have been resting and meeting new people and sightseeing just a little between the stem cell procedure and daily physical therapy.

I have been here for 19 days. I have had a "mini lipo" surgery to extract my own stem cells from my fat tissue. I have had 5 intrathecal spinal injections of adult stem cells that are from donated umbilical cord. I have had 9 sessions of physical therapy. I will have 3 more spinal injections, 5 more physical therapy sessions, an...

November 13, 2008

A leap of faith

I have been extremely proactive in fighting my MS since I was DX in November of 2004. At that time I was unable to walk or drive or see out of my right eye. Over the last 4 years I have changed my diet, done acupuncture, taken yoga, swam regularly, taken Copaxone, Rebif, Tysabri, Solumedrol, Prednisone, and kept researching the "NEXT STEP" in fighting my disease progression.

When Tysabri started to work less and less over the last 24 months, I started to research stem cell treatments all over t...

November 6, 2008

Hooray for Hipermás

Hello All . . .

I have already been in Costa Rica for 2 weeks of my 4 week stem cell treatment to treat my Multiple Sclerosis.

It was a little hectic before I left, trying to get everything done and situated so that I could be gone for 30 days.  Sorry I wasn't able to contact so many of you that sent well wishes and words of support before I left.  I have been thinking of you all and wanted to send a little update.

Week one was busy.  I met with doctors, had lots and lots of blood taken, had a...

November 2, 2008

I'm in Costa Rica. One week down, three more to go!

I came down here for stem cell treatment and have completed my first week of treatment.

I am extremely thrilled with the quality of care I have so far received.

I arrived in Costa Rica last Sunday. I had a consultation on Monday morning and the clinic drew blood. I also has physical therapy Monday afternoon at a private hospital here in Costa Rica, the same hospital that the rest of the procedures are done.

Tuesday I went to physical therapy. Love my therapist. She is focusing on my balance a...

October 30, 2008

OMG . . . is that long needle going into me?!

It's Thursday night.  The first 4 days have gone pretty well here in San Jose.

My flight on Saturday night was good, 5.5 hours direct from LAX.  The flight was full, but not a ton of Americans on board.  The woman sitting next to me was from Guatemala.  She and her husband were on their way home from a wedding in the US.  She spoke no English, but just had to show me pictures of the event :)

I slept most of the trip.  Sat in the front row of coach and had a ton of legroom, so that worked out we...

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