Epidural Procedure

Talk about getting a little lazy. I can't even remember the last time I posted a blog. So, let me get started where I left off. It seems like with every week something new with my body starts working again. After my deep spinal procedure I received two Mondays ago both of my thumbs started moving on my hands. This started happening the Wednesday of that week. Now when i say started moving you have to remember it is a very slow process. You see, once you getting a muscle group back, like the one in your hand that moves your thumb, you have to strengthen it next. Remember I haven't moved them in almost two years. As of now it takes me about thirty seconds to my my thumb a couple inches. Not exactly ready to be entered into any thumb war competitions just yet, but it's progress. My other fingers are getting stronger with each new day as well. I think before long i will be able to make a fist again so everybody better watch out.

The following Monday I was supposed to have another procedure. This being the big daddy of all procedures, the lumbar. This is where they go directly into the spinal cord around your injury level. This unfortunately didn't get to go as planned. I picked up a small infection and the procedure was postponed. They put me on some antibiotics and rescheduled for Wednesday. Tuesday they tested me again and the infection was still present. The oral antibiotics had cut the infection in half, but the doctors weren't satisfied. They of course want my body in perfect shape before they do a procedure. So, they switched from oral antibiotics to intravenous and postponed till Thursday. You see where this is going so to make a long story short i didn't get cleared for the procedure till late Friday so I received the procedure Saturday. We transferred to the other hospital under the influence that I would be receiving the lumbar procedure and staying overnight. Once over to the other hospital and in the operating theatre Dr. Ashish informed me that we would be doing an epidural procedure instead of the lumbar. This due to the fact that it had been to long since my last procedure. No worries though. I still received millions of stem cells into the epidural area. This procedure only required me to stay in bed flat on my back for the afternoon and I was able to come back to the clinic that evening. I will be receiving the lumbar procedure on Thursday or Friday of this week. So, maybe I will get back on track with my blogging and give you an update this weekend. Sorry for the laziness. Lucas

More Procedures More Progress

Another week has come and gone. It's hard to believe that we have been here for almost six weeks already. Time always seems to find away of flying bye unless of course you are sitting there starring at a clock and then it finds away of standing still. Sometimes the afternoons seem to last forever but it helps with the nice weather and being able to get outside and take in some sun. On most days the temperature reaches somewhere around sixty-five to seventy degrees with the sun shinning. There have only been a handful of days where it has been cloudy with cooler temperatures. It's always easier to be in a good mood when the weather is nice, at least that is my opinion. The three of us are still getting along great. No arguing and bickering between us. Yes, even between my father and me. I'm sure all the progress that I've made and am still making has played a big role in the trip going so smooth.

I know it has been over a week since my last blog so let me bring you up to date on my progress. All during last week what I noticed the most would be my increased over all strength. Starting with my hands all the way down to my hips, these muscles have all gotten stronger. This all being very crucial in order for me to be able to support myself while I practice my standing and walking in between the parallel bars. On Wednesday morning Dr. Shroff came by the room for a short visit to check up on progress. We inquired about maybe being able to do more physical therapy. Not that we weren't happy with the physical therapy that we were getting, but just wanting to do as much and work as hard as we can. So, she said she would talk to my therapist Dipen and they would arrange for me to have three sessions per day instead of two. So now my physio schedule is table work from nine until ten in the morning. Standing and walking at eleven and lasting about thirty to forty-five minutes, and then my afternoon session is at two to two-thirty where I work on sitting balance and upper body. I like the new schedule and find my body more exhausted afterwards. Another question we had for her was when she thought my next procedure would be. She explained that it would take place on Monday. This of course put a giant smile on my face because I am always anxious to see the results that will take place after a procedure. By the end of the week I was wore slick and ready for some rest.

Saturday I did absolutely nothing. Of course I had my usual Sat. morning physio that lasts from nine until ten fifteen but the rest of the day I took off. Sitting around watching television being kind of lazy felt kind of good. This would probably be why I am so behind with my blog. I apologize for my tardiness. Sunday we slept in till around nine, which felt good, but once up were eager to get ready and head out for the afternoon. Our first stop was to the All American Grill. It was pretty cool set up like a diner from the 1950's. We all three ordered breakfast and were pretty satisfied. The pancakes needed a little work but it was alright. After lunch we headed to market called Dali Haat. Here you can find pretty much anything you want to purchase. From jewlerly, scarves, artwork, and so on,with over 175 different vendors it's not hard to find something to buy. After that we headed back to the clinic wanting to get to bed early that way I would be rested for my procedure on Monday.

Monday morning they came in and notified me that my procedure would be done here at the clinic, which was kind of a relief because having to transfer to the other hospital is a hassle like i mentioned. So I got in bed and prepared myself for the procedure. Around ten forty-five they came with the gurney and took me into the operation theatre. They transferred me to the operating table and placed me on my side. As before they crunched me into the fetal position with my chin pressed down into my chest. Once into this position Dr. Ashish prepared the injection site. This time the injections would be up in the neck around the injury site. He would be making two injections into the deep spinal muscles that surround the spinal cord. With the first injection I felt a heavy stinging sensation which only lasted a few minutes. The second injection I received little or no sensation. The whole procedure lasted little over fifteen minutes. As soon as it was over I was taken back to my room where i had to lay flat on my back for an hour. It was a pretty simple procedure.

Since the procedure on Monday I have already noticed a few changes. The strength in my core muscles have improved., My tricep strength has increased. I have gotten back better finger movement. Hips are stronger. I can feel the stretch in my aductor muscle on the inside of my thigh. I am starting to get a little movement from my hamstrings. Everything just keeps getting stronger. It's definitely a great feeling making all this progress. Also, today i was just informed that I would be having another procedure on Monday. Might as well keep the ball rolling while going is good. Lets get as many stem cells in there working as possible. Well, that's it for now. Sorry for being so late. I will kept you updated. Lucas

Dr. Ashish preparing to inject 50,000,000 stem cells into my body.

Successful Procedure

Well, I made it. Scratch that. We made it!!! My first major procedure went just about as smooth as you could possibly imagine. It's kind of a hassle but with my Father and uncle Fred on the job there's always nothing to worry about and let me tell you that is a huge relief when you are stuck depending on other people to take care of you. I consider myself very lucky.
Now, the hassle isn't really the procedure, but having to switch hospitals to have it done. We currently stay at the clinic here at Green Park. It is the newer of the two facilities opened little over a year ago. The old hospital, where most of the most of the major procedures are done, is a couple miles down the road in the Guatam Nagar area. We arrived at the other hospital by taxi around eleven thirty Monday morning. The first thing you notice when you arrive at the old hospital is exactly how old it really is. I kid you not it looks like it came out of an old 1945 movie. Not to worry though, just as I expected everything running like a well-oiled machine. It took us fifteen to twenty minutes to get settled into the room, by the time we were done the sisters were there ready to get me preped for my procedure. Around one o'clock they came with the gurney to take me to the operating theatre. We entered the theatre where we were met by Dr. Ashish. They transferred me onto the operating table and placed me onto my side. Once on my side they tucked my knees as high up to my chin as possible placing me into the fetal position. During this whole process i am focused on my breathing trying to prepare my body for the arrival of my new stem cells. The procedure consists of Dr. Ashish inserting a very small catheter in the thoracic region. He then runs it up the spinal cord canal in between the sheath that holds the spinal cord and the bony part of the vertebrae. Once in place here come the stem cells. 50,000,000 million new stem cells are injected into my body and hopefully are in route to the injury site. As the stem cells are injected into my body new sensations happen immediately. A tightness and heavy feeling surround my mid section making it hard to breath. A crawling, tingly feeling works it way down through my legs into my toes. I try not to panic as the tightness increases in my stomach making it even harder to breath. During the whole procedure Dr. Ashish is explaining the whole process very calmly and asking me about the changes as they are happening. He assures me that this is all normal and explains everything is going as planned. He is confident and sincere which is very reassuring. I have total confidence in him. The whole procedure only last about fifteen minutes. Before I know it they have me turned onto my back and transferred back onto the gurney. The tight heavy feeling in my stomach starts to decrease letting me breath more normal. The whole not being able to breath very well kind of catches you off guard at first sending you into a slight panic, but other than that piece of cake. So, back to my room and into bed where I must lay flat on my back with no movement for two hours. Also, they come and put three blocks under the foot of my bed in order to incline it. This hopefully forces the stem cells to flow upward toward my injury level. For the next thirty minutes I have different sensations changing throughout the lower half of my body. I have tightness in the hips, tingling in the legs and toes but eventually all the new sensations fade. The next two days goes just about the same way. I get a morning injection of 50,000,000 stem cells and an evening dose of stem cells. The only difference is the position they have me laying during the injection and the two hour period afterwards. With every injection new sensations come and they go. The most exciting coming on Tuesday evenings injection. I was laying on my right side, of course blocks under the foot of the bed inclining it, and while I was receiving the injection I got a real heavy feeling in my head with lots of pressure creating a huge headache. It only lasted for fifteen to twenty seconds but what a feeling. I understand normally you wouldn't get that excited about receiving this sort of headache, but what this means is that the stem cells made it through the injured part of my spinal cord and into my brain. What a rush!!! Wednesday I received a double dose of the stem cells around lunch that way after laying flat for the two hours we were able to pack up and head back to the clinic.
Thursday came and i was very eager to get down to physical therapy to work out and see if I could notice any improvements. Yes, I know it well take time for the cells to work and grow but with all the early success I've had it is easy to get spoiled. I am happy to report more new improvements. My core muscles, which include stomach, side, and back, have gotten stronger making my balance better. Better strength in my triceps and wrist flexors. hips have strengthen and hand movement has increased a little. So far I would say a successful procedure. The doctors said we would give this procedure time to runs it course and we could expect the next procedure in about ten days.
Everything has been going so well and we all have been working so hard we decided to treat ourselves today and go out to eat. So, today for lunch we headed to the Hyatt Hotel, a five star accommodation, in search of beef. Big mistake. What we stumbled into was a beautiful hotel, with five restaurants, including one that was a buffet. Ouch!!! Let me just say the damage was substantial. Beef tenderloin, grilled prawns, fried fish, stuffed pork loin, cesar salad. The works. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the cheesecake and the chocolate eclairs. What a great meal to end a great week. My belly's full and hands are getting week so I think that's it for now. Talk to you all soon. Lucas