Day 5 Stem Cell Injections

Marie will receive five treatments over the month one every 6 days. The treatments consist of 10,000,ooo umbilical stem cells. It sounds like a lot, but in volume is probably a cubic mm or so, suspended in a cc nutrient solution, However, these grow and multiply once in place, especially neurons, which are large. This process take up to three months. If there is new growth we will see it the very slowly over the next three, months.
The injections are administered in to ways: Intravenously or lumar punch. With the blood brain barrier, few stem cells reach the brain or cerebellum with the IV method, but are more effective for joint and muscle problems, eyesight etc. where ever blood flows. Since 90% of cord blood stem cells are hematopoeitic (pre-disposed to become blood, muscle or immune cells) what you essentially get is a high-tech blood doping. People here who have had the IV injections got a perceptible rush that last for hours, making sleep imposable. IV injections are given in the room, with a small IV of Nerve growth factor, to coax the stem cells into neurons. A yellow fluid, NGF takes about 1\2 hour, and then you are free to move.
Lumbar punches are more elaborate, and more effective for ataxics and brain or spinal-cord damage. The stem cells are injected into the spinal fluid. Your bed in wheeled into a clean room, where the doctor does the lumbar punch. You curl up into a tight fetal position on your left side, the doctor probes your #1 lumbar under local anesthetic, finds the proper position, removes a volume of spinal fluid, and then injects an equal amount of stem cell fluid. You are given the IV bag of NGF. You are then instructed not move at all to minimize spinal fluid leakage. Any thrashing about or gross movement may cause leakage of some fluid, resulting in the dreaded spinal headache. There have been a few people here who have had these headache and they have had to stay in bed all day.
Marie will get three lumbar treatment for her brain injury and two IV treatment that they hope will help her left arm find some movement.
Marie received her first lumbar treatment. When they brought her back to the room I put pillows on both sides of her head and wrapped her tight in blankets to keep her from moving. I sat an watched over her for the next six hours. She would sleep 40 minutes and then cry in pain for the next 20 minutes. Her back was in a lot of pain from the lumbar punch. She wanted to be rolled on her side. I used all my creativity to try and take her mind off the pain. It was the longest six hour, and I was exhausted after. The next two treatment I will have Marie sedated so she doesn't have to go through this pain. The treatment went well in that Marie didn't get a headache and was totally fine the next day. One of the benefits of the growth factor is improved circulation. Marie has had very poor circulation in her legs and feet. Her feet are always cooled. She wears heated slippers every night to bed. She woke up last night to ask me to take the blankets off her feet, because they were too hot. Her feet have turned pink again and are warmer. They were always cold and purple in colour. Marie's next treatment will be the IV on Friday.
This week is the Chinese holiday May 1st., very little is happening for the next few days here. Everyone is off for the holiday. Marie and I plan to take a shopping trip to Luo Hu Shopping Centre.We have been told that this is the place to go for all the designer knock offs (clothes, watches, shoes, purses etc. We will let you know how are adventure goes.