Lance Stem Cell China Trip

Home with improvement updates

2007-07-09T21:05:00.000-07:00

OK sorry about not posting. The flight home went well and Gabby and I made it just fine. I just wanted to add that I have been home almost a week and a half and I have seen three more big improvements!! First, my bowels have really become active just like a normal bodied person. Before the treatment I would go to the bathroom every 3 to 4 days a week. (by myself) Now I go almost like I did before my accident every 1 to 2 days!!!!!!! That is a huge improvement. Second, my energy level is drastically increased!! I have cleaned up my yard, planted flowers, hauled mulch, and much more for about 5 hours for 2 days with a few small breaks in between. In the morning I am getting up to finish a few more things that I need to do. Naps seem to be a thing of the past. Finally, I have begun to sweat like a pig again just like I did when I used to run in the Army!!! I now don't have to worry as much about overheating. Alright, that's it for now I'll update soon.
Lance

Good News!!!

2007-06-26T06:05:00.000-07:00

Well Gabby got her braces this afternoon and they look awesome. She got her teeth cleaned and whitened and it only took forty-five minutes. Not to mention that the mouth x-rays were $12.oo and she even got to keep the mold of her teeth. Now for Lance's news: Today at therapy, Lance was able to bend and extend his right thumb which he has not been able to do since the accident. He is trying his hardest not to cheat by using his wrist, but he knows there is definitely movement because when we put his wrist in isolation he is able to move his thumb. Lance believes that this is possible not only with therapy but he feels that the stem cells are working. There is no doubt that this is the work of the stem cell therapy, we are excited to see what's next. We love you guys!!!!

Final IV Stem Cell

2007-06-25T05:22:00.000-07:00

Today Monday at 5:00PM was my final treatment and all went well. Now everyone just keep the faith that within the next few months I get some movement back. Things that are already noticeable are as listed:
1. Strength and Stamina 50% better
2. Bladder 75% better during day and 100% better at night (less trips to restroom at night)
3. Muscle Spasms 75% better
I can definitely say that no therapy is going to help my bladder and spasms so that is 100% stem cell treatment and for many SCI patients that would be life changing for them and make other SCI patients happier to have better control over anything they already have. The USA has the technology to do this same treatment to all diseases and ailments but it will never happen if our government can't open their eyes and realize that embryonic stem cells are not the only stem cells that can help people. Anyways, I'll update again before we depart on Sat. mornng.

Fourth Treatment

2007-06-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

Lance decided to go with an IV for his fourth procedure. Thankfully there are no headaches or side effects. He spoke to Kirshner who is one of the main spokesperson for the stem cell procedure. She assured Lance that two spinal taps were sufficient due to the millions of stem cells working their way up. Again I want to remind everyone that results take anywhere form three to six months. Now for Gabby's big news, She went to the dentist and found that she could get her braces for 2,000 RMB which is about $250.oo American dollars. This includes cleaning, x-rays, and mouth molding. Wow!!! what a great deal. Lance's last IV will be Monday but there is a possibility of an extra IV.

Update on third injection/Lance's leg brace

2007-06-17T20:56:00.001-07:00

After the injection on Friday night Lance had the worst headache of his life. Lance moaned and groaned for a couple of hours until the doctor gave him medicine to sleep. I was worried until I saw that Lance was finally sleeping like a baby. It has been a few days and Lance is now feeling better with a slight headache once in a while. His next injection will be Wednesday and the doctor has promised to give him medicine right after the procedure so that he will be asleep for those first three hours. Now for the good news, he had an AFO half brace made and it was a success. The brace was excellent quality, and walked better than we expected. He still has a slight hipper extension but he felt more comfortable this time than when he walked with it two years ago. They took the brace back for some adjustments and will return it tomorrow so that Lance can start practicing his walking. The third injection will be Wednesday and hopefully the headaches will be better. We will keep you updated with Lance's progress.

Lance's Third Injection

2007-06-15T04:12:00.001-07:00

Lance had his 3rd injection about an hour ago today. He is in the room trying to lay flat on his back without moving hopefully for at least 6 hours. He took a caffeine pill and half of a percussed an hour before the injection to help with the spinal headache. The doctor said that the second injection is better than the first. The last two procedures will be a spinal tap on Wednesday and an IV on Monday. We miss you all and I will post again soon.

3rd INJECTION TODAY

2007-06-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

Its been a few days since I've posted. Gabby and I have been doing a little gift shopping the past few days after my therapy. We like to go later in the evening because it is cooler and China really wakes up at night. We have mastered part of the city so we don't take taxis' as much even though it is only $1.00 to go anywhere in the city. Around 5:00 tonight I will get my 3rd injection through lumbar puncture so everyone pray I don't get the bad headache that I did the 1st time. I will update later tonight to let everyone know what is going on with me.

Quick Update

2007-06-10T05:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a normal day with therapy and acupuncture. The IV stem cells gave me a boost of energy so Gabby and I went out to dinner with my PT and one of the nurses. After dinner I was up for a challenge and ended up walking 1 mile to Baskin Robins and only stopped to rest 3 times for a couple mins. each time. That was by far the farthest that I have walked non stop since before my injury.
Today Gabby and I went out for shopping and bought some beautiful gifts and stuff for our home. The prices were soooooo cheap, even McDonald's is only about $1.80 for a double cheeseburger, small drink, and small fry. I did see one of the saddest things ever today though. A woman beggar lying on the side of the street with a small bowl in front of her. All that was in her bowl was a few coins so I leaned over to her and grabbed her hand and gave her 10 RMB which she could not believe because she could probably eat 2 meals with that much money. I could tell she started to cry when I gave it to her. I will give her more if I see her again. I'll update more later.

My friend Danny

2007-06-08T15:45:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I have a been keeping up with a young man named Danny since his accident in 2005. He is identical to how I was when I 1st got injured. He drives his chair with a straw (sip and puff chair). His legs fell off of his wheel chair the other day and I helped him out and put them back on the chair. I never imagined that I would be helping out someone that is in the shoes I was in. Maybe that's my purpose for being here? Its like God is showing me the past all over again through Danny to show me how far I have come and reminding me that my healing is not finished yet. But, I can honestly say if I had to choose between coming on this trip and getting more mobility back or Danny coming and getting enough movement and strength to at least get out of that sip and puff I would of stayed home and prayed for Danny. We have become close because we can relate.
His MRI shocked the doctors. He has a tremendous amount of scar tissue which is not going to allow the stem cells to grow so they think. This is the 1st time that I have ever heard anything negative from these doctors. Surgery is out of the question only because if something happened to a foreigner here it would be all over the world fast. They did do work on an American the other day but his injury is not as severe. We are praying for the best and Danny and his dad too. He had his 1st injection last night so I will check on him in a little bit. We hope his muscle spasms will decrease like mine did and still are. His spasms are still VERY strong but we will see. Remember that most of the results will show up months down the road when the stem cells mature and grow. I'll see everyone later
Lance

Second Injection Update

2007-06-08T06:21:00.001-07:00

Today was Lance's second stem cell treatment, but this time through an IV.
Lance is feeling great, the headaches and the nausea are gone. Today Lance had Occupational therapy, Physical therapy, and Acupuncture. Lance's hair cut was $1.25: this included cranial massage, two washes, and an awesome hair cut. Tonight Lance and I took a cab to eat at a Chinese fast food restaurant where we also had Dairy Queen. The night life and night lights are fascinating to see. Lance will post pictures when our Internet gets a little bit faster. The Internet connection is very slow here, they are working on wireless connection to get better speed.

2007-06-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

Bad Spinal Headache

Initial Evaluation

2nd Injection will be IV

2007-06-05T19:40:00.000-07:00

The doctor came to see me today and we both decided to go with an IV for my second treatment. The headaches seem to be gone but come back every now and then causing me to have to go lay down. Don't worry its is normal to have these tremendous headaches after lumbar punctures due to an imbalance in my spinal cord fluid. My faith stays strong and I think it is a small price to pay especially if I get any return in the coming months. My muscle spasms are probably 85% better. My bladder is much stronger because I don't have to go so much during the night. I usually have to get up at least 3 times per night to use the restroom but since the injection I get up 1 time and that is when the night is almost over. The doctor let Gabby film the entire procedure with was a surprise. I'll post pictures in a little bit.
Lance

Good News

2007-06-04T03:38:00.000-07:00

Monday the headaches went away. P.T. will now be twice a day. The really good news is that my spasms are nearly gone for the first time since the accident. This means that I can stand without having to wait to get control of my legs before walking. My friend from Central Florida is arriving tonight. His name is Danny Gray, and he is 19. Please keep him in your prayers he has a ways to go to get better. It is about 8 p.m. so I am going to bed now. Gabby went to Walmart for some things to make soup.

Monday Morning (my time)

2007-06-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

I am still having a hard time with the headache. The chills are gone, however. The doctor will be in shortly so I will know more. I think the first time is the hardest. I will post more when I see the doctor. I also have therapy this morning.

Saturday Night

2007-06-02T06:53:00.000-07:00

I have had a headache from the injection. I have also had chills. The doctor says this is normal in some patients. I remember whenever I got something back at Shepherd Hospital I would feel bad for a few days before so this is a good sign. Acupuncture went much better and the therapy was good also. I tried to go out Saturday afternoon, but I felt chilled and had to come back. After a good night's sleep I should feel better. They have told me there is a Christian church in the city. I'll try to find it.

First Injection

2007-06-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

The doctor wanted to start my injections Friday afternoon. It did not hurt, and I have to be very still for about 4 hours. The cells came from the cord of a boy and a girl. Therapy is very hard here so I am actually glad for the time to rest. The needles for the acupuncture were hard to take. I got a little light headed. They will try again later. More after I can move around again.

Met with doctor

2007-05-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

I just met with the doctor. He is VERY excited. He has never seen a spinal cord injury like mine. No patient has had the return that I have had to his knowledge. We are going to the bank this morning to exchange money. I already have so much to share with everyone when I get back. My first injection will probably be Monday (Sunday for your folks).

We are here!

2007-05-30T13:21:00.001-07:00

We arrived in China and we were very tired. We had KFC for dinner and it was very good. My guide from the hospital got us settled in our room. I can't believe the size of this city. I will see Dr. Dong in about two hours and will post the results later. My first treatment will probably be this week. More later.

Depart for China tomorrow

2007-05-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that Gabby and I are heading out from Houston at 6:30AM tomorrow. I will post when we arrive in Shenyang depending on the internet. I've been told it is slow and sometimes down. Keep us in your prayers.
Lance

Email from patient already in Shenyang,China

2007-05-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

Less than a week and I'll be in China!!! This is a part of an email from a patient already in China that is going to have my room set up for me when I arrive.
Update soon,
Lance
You will be the only foreign walking quad I have seen or heard about ever being at this hospital. That being said, I think there have been several Chinese that have mostly recovered over a number of years and came here to finish the recovery process as stem cell treatment has only been available at this hospital since September of last year. Each patient has a personal doctor assigned upon arrival. I would put in a formal request now for Dr. Dong as your personal doctor. He has been Rita's doctor since we arrived and we believe he is the best here.

Based on what we have seen and obviously we believe will happen, I think you have a very good chance of seeing significant improvement over the next 4 to 6 months. You will see some before you leave. With stem cell treatments, improvements appear to happen much faster. Not overnight cures, but accelerated improvements. This is my personal opinion.

3 Years Today

2007-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it was three years ago at 7:30 PM that my life changed. I guess though it is a day to celebrate because I lived!! Hopefully by this time next month we will all be celebrating about some new changes from the stem cells even though it usually take a few months, but, I don't care because I have faith that it is going to help.

Baseline video of me

2007-04-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Well, only 29 days left and then off to Shenyang, China!!! I just wanted to let everyone know that I posted a good baseline video of where I'm at in my recovery today. Thanks to my buddy Mike for filming this. Go to this website http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CPYtA4-KDc to see the video. I'll update this in a week or so.

Pictures of me today

2007-04-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

Getting Ready For China Stem Cell Trip

2007-04-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

Hello World:

My name is Lance Williams and I live in the United States (Florida). The reason for this blog is to keep everyone up to date on my umbilical cord stem cell treatment that I will be having in Shenyang, China May 29-June 30 2007. It is a shame that I have to go to another country to have this treatment performed. Though there are no guarantees that I will get any improvements, I will keep the faith in God that this is what he wants for me. I have been told that everyone usually leaves with something. Hopefully my healing will be jump started again. So your probably wondering what my disability is?

On May 10,2004 I was hit by a car while riding my motorcycle at only 37 MPH. I ended up underneath the SUV which broke my neck and severely fractured and dislocated my left shoulder. I was labeled as a C4,C5,C6 incomplete quadriplegic. I was paralyzed from the neck down and drove a wheel chair with a straw (sip and puff chair). Amazingly after 8 months I could walk slowly with a walker, right leg brace (KAFO), and someone behind me.

Moving forward to today, almost three years later I walk without assistance except for my KAFO still on my right side. I still have very minimal right triceps, no right finger movement but good tendonesis grip, and basically no hot or cold feeling on my left side, and also have what is known as a Bracial Plexus left shoulder injury. Finally, I am labeled as a Brown Sequard spinal cord injury person which is very rare. This description is all me. What is Brown-Sequard Syndrome?Brown-Sequard syndrome (BSS) is a rare neurological condition characterized by a lesion in the spinal cord which results in weakness or paralysis (hemiparaplegia) on one side of the body and a loss of sensation (hemianesthesia) on the opposite side. BSS may be caused by a spinal cord tumor, trauma (such as a puncture wound to the neck or back), ischemia (obstruction of a blood vessel), or infectious or inflammatory diseases such as tuberculosis, or multiple sclerosis.

My beautiful wife Gabriela will be coming to China with me. I will keep posting at least twice a month until I leave May 29th then I'll post every day or two. Some of the stuff I will post only SCI patients and medical persons' will understand but I'll try to make it so everyone will have an idea. The more personal stuff I might post but if you would like you can send me an email and I will give you a straight anwser. I am filming everything and taking pictures also. I will post some pictures of me in 2004 and some of me now and of course as I get the treatment in China. I will receive 5 treatments of about 10 million stem cells each injection through a mix of lumbar spinal puncture and IV. Also, nerve growth factor through IV, PT 6 days a week 2 times a day,acupuncture, Chinese massage, and my stay with Gabriela in the hospital. I do get to go out and enjoy China while I'm there so don't worry. That's about it for now. I would like to thank everyone for helping me raise the money for this trip and I want everyone to know that I will push myself to the limit to make the best out of my stay in China.