DAY 5 – A HAPPY DAY

I didn’t feel any different after my first stem cell treatment as I wrote in yesterday’s blog and I felt the same today as well. As I’ve stated many times I try not to have expectations but outside of halting progression of the disease, any improvements would be a bonus. When I awoke this morning I straightened my legs, pointed my tows out, extended my arms back and had a huge stretch! I’ve written before how I can’t do this in the morning without having painful spasms in my legs and my stretch is normally accompanied by a loud grunt and never satisfying or comfortable. Not today!!! I had the most amazing stretch, something I haven’t experienced in I can’t remember how long! I don’t even consciously remember doing it until I’d finished and realized how awesome it felt! One of those simple little pleasures that are so easy to take for granted started my day off with the hugest smile.
This was a very similar result that Linda experienced that I had written shouldn’t be expected and especially not that fast. Well God answered that prayer for me. I guess the stem cells are very effective for spasticity. Anyway I didn’t feel any different the rest of the day but I can’t wait for tomorrow morning to see if it lasts.
The rest of my day was pretty typical with my regular routine and I didn’t really feel any different. It was a very warm day though and amazingly we could see blue sky! TK and I went for a long walk to a beautiful park and to buy some groceries. Well I should say TK had a long walk and I had a long ride in the wheelchair. When we left the hospital TK joked that she only had her learners permit for pushing a wheelchair. She wasn’t joking! We were just strolling along taking pictures and enjoying the beauty of the park when all of a sudden we came across a 5” drop off a curb and my wheelchair tipped forward throwing me out! I wasn’t hurt at all and we actually had a good laugh while some Chinese onlookers seemed quite amused.
Her driving didn’t get any safer as we went through the busy market. I guess Chinese people are used to having to get out of the way fast and avoid collisions in a very busy and chaotic environment as I previously explained how the streets are. It’s pretty crazy but you know what they say: “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. I’m sure we’ll have many more exciting adventures to come.
LC