DAY TWO - Sept. 18
Woke up about 6 AM. Nurses came in shortly thereafter and took blood and my temperature. Supposed to get an MRI today, a sonogram, and start physical therapy. First stem cells may come Wed.
Forgot to mention that I saw Dr. Perlman, the MJD spaecialist, at UCLA while in LA before we left. She spent two hours with me, and was enormously optimistic and helpful. She follows all the China blogs. She thinks that the intense physical therapy here could account for some of the improvements, and that the stem cells should benefit in the longer run. She gave me a thorough exam, and videotaped me. She wants to see me again when I return and again at 6 mos. and a then year. We should get some hard quantitative data.
I fell for the first time in months this morning, trying to get out of a rolling chair on this hard floor. Broke the chair, but I'm fine. I tried very hard to remain uninjured before this visit, as I didn't want to miss it.
Sure enough, I had my MRI and sonogram today. The hospital is a zoo, with lots of folks waiting for tests. This place is huge, and the comparitively quiet stem cell floor is an anomaly. I think I'm the only one with a moustache in the whole city.
I also started a regimen of acupuncture, throat therapy and massage. Of course I liked massage, but I have problems with acupuncture. I can't sit still for an hour with needles stuck in me.
Stem cells start tomorrow afternoon! The first one will be spinal. Not too excited. They delivered my MRI, and my cerebellum has certainly shrunk since the last MRI in 1996. Not unexpected...
I am not supposed to eat or drink anything after Noon tomorrow, and the stem cells should arrive after 3. I've got to lie flat for six hours after injection. Fun. Depending on how I feel, I may skip tomorrow's blog, or have Sally do it.