outdoor activities/stem cell research

[Guest guest]

Hi Rick

First, congratulations on what sounds like a fantastic trip! I've always,

always wanted to something like this, but my fear isn't the cathing (maybe it's

a woman thing to not be as inhibited by it?), but my fear is the bouncing in the

raft and how much that would physically hurt me and also what if any damage it

would do to the tether...

I find it amazing about the stem cell injections, not just for me, but for my

father-in-law. I haven't shared this yet, but my father-in-law had an aneurysm

repair three weeks ago and the stent they placed in the artery, where the

aneurysm was, ended up laying on top of an artery that feeds the spinal cord.

This situation ended up stopping the flow of the blood to his spinal cord in the

lower thoracic area and he is now paralyzed from the hip, upper hip area

downward. He has been told to prepare for self-cathing for the remainder of his

life along with no bowel function. (Right now he has an indwelling cath at the

rehab place.)

My heart goes out to him. He is 72, ran a 100+ acre farm up until four weeks

ago. I know these things happen daily to people, but it doesn't make it any

easier. I'd love to hear more about the stem cell for me and for him.

Kathy

outdoor activities/stem cell research

Hello everyone,

I just returned from a 2 day raft trip down the Colorado River from

Colorado into Utah. At first I was very skeptical about accepting the

invitation due to possible problems with self cathing. These are the

same organization and people that taught me to mono-ski last winter. I

finally just told the project director of my concerns, I have known her

for a year now. She said no problem, they have many clients male and

female that self cath, they set up special facilities with privacy,

room, and clean atmosphere for everyone. So I said I would try it. It

was absolutely no problem and not uncomfortable for me.

I met this wonderful 35 yr old lady that had an accident 15 years ago

and badly bruised her spinal column at C4. She is considered a total

quadriplegic. She 'used' to be paralyzed from the chest down. We started

talking, she flat out asked me if I cathed, I stuttered yes. She said

she did too, it was not a problem on these trips. She also confided with

me that she does a daily morning enema. We were going down the river,

she said she had to pee and pulled out a new sterile cath, opened it

with her teeth, I thought oh my god, here? Well she lifts up her shirt,

licked the end of the cath and put it in a port on the side of her belly

button and let it flow into the river. No one, not one person, young and

old that saw it thought anything of it. I know this is gross but I am

mentioning it because over time, you apparently get used to it, what

other people think does not matter. You have to do what you have to do.

The most interesting part of her story is that 5 years ago she raised

$20,000 US by telling her story of her accident and that she wanted to

go to China for stem cell injections. In a few weeks she had enough

donated cash to book the trip and went. In about a year she started

getting feeling in her arms and legs. Then she started being able to

move her arms and legs. Now she drives a car and rides a bicycle (adult

tricycle). Last year she went on raft trips and had to tape her left

hand to the paddle because she didnt have the strength to hold it, this

year she does just fine with both hands. She and I had our own 2-person

inflatable kayak. There was 10 volunteers and 9 clients on the 2-day

trip. We camped out on the bank halfway to our pull out destination.

This year she took her walker on the trip (as did I ) rather than her

wheel chair. We are going to talk later this week, I might be going to

China Even though we have different spinal cord injury causes, the

results are the same - bruised and stretched cord that can not let the

nerve signals pass from the brain to the muscle and the muscles tell the

brain whats going on.

In the next few days I will have a simple text and picture web page of

the trip, I will post the link when I get it uploaded.

On a final note, I want to say that since I have become disabled 10

years ago, my life has changed to a challenging and interesting one. I

dont know if I want to go back to an 8 to 5 job everyday

food for thought

Rick