Some Things goiing on....

Here are a few photos of me..... the first is me try to balance on my knees with only one hand while i lift the other in the air and the second is me trying to crawl for the first time forward and back wards. This was very very very very difficult. Its a big learning process and a lot has to do with whether i have enough muscle function occurring and then trying to re-learn the control in the brain....
The second day i tried it was a little bit better. But its going to take a long while with some assistance.
Enjoy....

The Next Step

Hey Boys and Girls how is everyone goin? Salut mes amis du Canada! I have entered into the last 10 days and I know I have a lot of work to do before I leave Nu Tech MediWorld, Delhi, and India.
We are into mid October here and the days are starting to get noticibly shorter with the sun setting around six pm and its suppose to be getting cooler.... I would say its a little bit cooler at night sometimes but during the day its still around 33-36C depending on the day!!

Therapy continues with the same regular routine and things are getting more demanding with more exercises and with resistance and the activities are graded harder. I am also trying to walk further and further and to have better control along with better posture. With increased function in motor control in more and more muscles in different areas below my injury the more i can do and the more i have to practice.

Unfortunately, this week has started with some building problems as the lift broke down on Sunday night and they were not able to fix it (as any Indian can be a repair man :) ) So for two more days we had to wait up stairs and do the physio in our rooms and walk on the floor. A bit of a change is always good. However, by the 2nd day i was getting a bit restless and wanted out. On wednesday it was fixed and now we can escape!!!!

I had another procedure this past tuesday which was a DSM (Deep Spinal Muscle) injection and was a very simple procedure that only took about 30mins and i had to lay down for 2hours. Now i have wait and see what changes this will make.

The muscle contractions are getting stronger in the areas that have started and I am getting more contractions in areas such as my ankles, toes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.... as things become more definite and stronger I am thinking about how i will have to make them functional by putting the motions together. I have been trying to make movements and do functional activities when i am not in physio (eg. sitting on my chair without using the back).
I have now been able to extend my legs about 40 degrees while laying on my side with my legs bent at 90 degrees with by using my quadriceps. Basically extending my hips using a combination of muscles. But hey i will take anything as long as i can move things that didnt move before.
Any Canadians out there who will like to comment about the blog?
Later.....

This week on the Tuesday past I was back at the old hospital for what they call the Lumbar Puncture. It isnt exactly a lumbar puncture for someone like myself because they don't need to go that low.... However, it was injected fairly low down as my sensation is fairly low now. During the time in the OT. I was able to feel Ashish pushing his fingers about on my back to test me out to about T10-11 and then inserted some anesthesia. Then the puncture tap was inserted and fluid was drained and then stem cells were injected. After the injection I felt quite a few sensations such as heaviness throughout my body, seemingly feelings of connection of electrical currents were flowing through my lower have of my body, and of course there were a bunch of spasms. This time the spasms were not as much as the previous procedures.

The next 5 hours i was on my back laying motionless trying to not move my head while the bed is inclined with two bricks and the blood flowing to my head. The idea is to prevent oneself from getting a headache and nausea and the way to do that is to remain motionless as possible. Luckily I managed to get through the evening without any headaches, etc. After this time i was allowed to roll over to either side or lay on my back for the remaining next 12 hours (08:30 the next morning) with only one brick. During all this time i had an IV stuck into me with a drip that was replaced 3 times, which means i had 1.5L of saline pumped into me with multiple antibiotics to prevent infection.
It was a mental and physical challenge but i made it through the 24hrs and no complications! I was feeling quite weak and tired. The next morning i went down to physio and did some light exercises and standing along with walking. I still felt weak as one would after such a procedure.

After a good sleep the next day I was ready to work it out and see what happens...... Well, on Thursday I did a decent phsyio treatment with walking in the walker but no crutches since i wasnt over energised. There weren't any changes that i noticed because I was too fatigued to notice them.
Friday, and yes there are some changes which i am truly amazed with!!! Now i have to work on making them functional. I am talking about moving my quads and lifting my quads in an adducting movement which is against gravity... Pretty cool hey..... Well that is the latest speil...
I will keep on keeping on.

Over Half Way now

Now it I have been here for 5 1/2 weeks and things are moving right along.... After the procedure I didnt notice anything right away. However, there were constant spasms occurring in my abdominals and my bladder. This is a good sign but it makes it difficult to sleep and when I went to move I had to pause until the spasms subside.
After a couple of days post procedure i started to notice some more changes occurring such as: contractions and movement in both legs in the quadriceps, contractions in my hamstrings, increased strength and movement in my lower abdominal area, adduction movement from the end of range of motion on both sides. However, the right is weaker than the left and moves about 30 degrees and the left can move approx. 0-50 degrees. Just to let you know these movements are very weak and require some support from the Physio but never the less i am moving my body parts on command!!!!!!!
Unfortunately, my improvements have been under minded by a UTI, AGAIN! :( This UTI really sucks the energy out of you and since it has been dragging on I have asked to get the medication that i know will work for me. Now that I have received the right prescription i will be sweet!....
Something i thought i would like to point out, the physiotherapists and all of the staff are great here and are so patient and very dedicated to give the patient's to best opportunity to help with recovering from whatever there disability or disease. Geeta & Ashish live, breath and eat Stem Cell therapy..... so compassionate about their work/treatment and are constantly encouraging their patient's and try to explain what is going on with each patient's treatment. Even though Geeta is running two hospitals and doing research, etc she continues to come and see how the patients in the physio room are going. I am inspired to make sure that i am professional who will do the same with my patients.

So while i am here I will continue to push my body to see what will happen and make the most out of the treatment. I dont think i will get nearly as much support when i return and will do the majority of work at home. Go baby stem cells go!!!
By the way today is a holiday here in India, its Mahat ma Ghandi day, so no work today. But i did get up and walk down to the lift and back twice.