Monday, April 30, 2012

Monday Monday .....




..... and I can't (but once did) remember the next line to this song. (can't trust that day??)

Anyway ... Happy Monday, and I hope this finds everyone had a good weekend. Mine ... well, was full of frustration. I am unsure of what is going on with my body and I don't like that. I have a week and a half until I undergo another round of labs .... my blood sugars have been dropping a lot, and I am pretty sure I am catching most of them in time to treat. But .... then there is this B12 issue. I thought, and have always heard from others that when they took B12 supplements or got their shots that they were all full of energy....??? After the neurologist told me I had a B12 deficiency and a homocysteine overload, he put me on B12 supplements and wanted repeat labs. Well ... I have to tell you .. that since starting this ... my ass has been draggin' beyond believe!!!! I don't understand what is going on. The psychotherapist is also telling me that a B12 deficiency is common in head injury patients. I am SO frustrated with myself ... currently, I am not my biggest fan and since the accident it is hard for some to deal/cope with me which I know I shouldn't ... but at times take it a bit personally.

Anyway .... Last week was a useless week productivity wise. I had doctor appointments and the driving ... well ... it just sucked the life right out of me and I don't really remember the rest of the week except in only involved hanging out in the house with the dog.

It is going to be a hot day .... and I am being discouraged from being out in the yard alone. I understand this to a point, but I have things that need to get done out there or no one will ever find me if the weeds get out of control. For the most part, I am living alone ... therefore ... I must do it. But, even I, am thinking power tools in my future today ... is out of the question. I need to make some much overdue phone calls in regard to securing some sort of future for myself ..having done this once before and it turned into a 2+ year process .... I am not looking forward to "begging" again for the help I not only deserve, but have paid into and now I NEED it. Otherwise, I will be placing an add looking for a husband .... hahahaha .... with excellent medical benefits for a potentially short relationship.... LOL.

I think it's funny ... but I am frustrated.

Ok kids ... I wish everyone a wonderful day!!
Be good to yourself, be good to each other.
Peace and Light
et

Sunday, April 29, 2012

April 29th 2012

Good Morning and Happy Sunday!!

I am not feeling well this morning. My blood sugars have been up and down for the past 2-3 days. (time for me means nothing lately) I crashed 3x on Thursday (I think) and with each crash, I have been able to catch it just a little more ahead of the curve, i.e.,  1st one was 44 when caught, the last one I caught as 60 with warnings, but ... then I just want to eat until I feel better as the crashing seems to be far more intense than I can ever recall. Recall ... not being my best subject these days. I am so beyond frustrated with the situation overall. The accident has changed my life as I knew it and I am angry to a point that I can't seem to pull my head out from up my ass to get a grip on what to do about it, and no one can tell me if it is or will ever be the way it was before. I had such high hopes of 2012 being a year to remember for positive reasons.

I had my meeting with the psychotherapist, and I can honestly tell you that I was not a happy girl with some of what was being told to me. I meet with her again on Friday ... guessing I should bring some of my anger and frustration with me this time ... not to aim it at anyone ..... Shall we say, I have a lot of personal, soul searching work to do, and for that, I have become sort of recluse .... I think it is better this way so that I don't hurt anyone unintentionally with words or moods. I am not happy with myself on this road, I can't imagine anyone else would be either. It has been odd, how some can handle this sort of change in others, and some try, but just can't bring themselves to participate. I completely understand ... it is and can be a sort of hopeless journey ... and when one feels hopeless ... SO many scenarios can play out.

I will stop, as I am not even sure I understood what I just typed. I didn't sleep well at all last night ... I mean some of these dreams I am having range from blissful to down-right freakin' scary!! Last night I was jailed!!! I have NEVER been jailed ... arrested ... the closest I have come is moving violation or parking ticket. I swear I spent half the night screaming and tossing around ... I am freakin' exhausted and have only been up for a couple of hours.

I am going to take that nice long, hot shower and see if I can't blow some life back into the old girl .... I am thinking it is going to be a  sort of low key day ... perhaps with some napping ... when what I should really be doing is outside ... but I am alone, and with doc instructions ... how far am I willing to push myself today ... this is just crap in my opinion ... I live alone now for the most part, and I WILL NOT allow friends to "babysit" if you will. Me and my life are not for them to worry about, although I am so blessed that they do, it really isn't their responsibility.

To ALL ... I wish a wonderful day and peaceful thoughts.
Peace and Light
et

Saturday, April 28, 2012

The video has posted!!

I hope the link below works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qumjpRYKyhU

If not, you can check it out on YouTube-StemGenex videos. There are several videos from patients treated with various afflictions. ALL worthy of a look, and I look forward to seeing the follow up on the results and progress being made.

Been a long week for me, and I have been down a lot. The beginning of the week was just a lot for me to deal with physically, and apparently emotionally as well with the drive to Phoenix on Monday and doctor appointments both Monday and Tuesday. My function as far as my head isn't moving along as I would like and I continue to tire easily. I am being told repeatedly, I must set limits ... hahahaha ... time limits that allow me to rest and NOT push to the completion of a project. Well ... that is a whole lot easier said than done!! I push, and then, I crash ... it is a hard habit to break with life has always (or seems like) one hit after another, often times with no time in between to crash. Regarding "crashing" I have had a lot of low blood sugars this week, on Thursday, 3x. This after having dropped my insulin a 1/2 unit during the day, and a full unit over night. I am thinking, that it either needs to drop again, or I need to evaluate the math in regard to my insulin to carb ratio as that may still need to be adjusted as well. The lows also cause me to just want to sleep, which is good for my brain, but not so much for getting stuff done.

Enjoy your day!!
Be good to yourself, be good to each other!!
Peace and Light
et

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Let me lay it out there

Happy Tuesday!!

I am sorry I did not post last night. I was so incredibly drained upon my return from Phoenix. I did the ride down and back, by myself. First issue at hand. My being alone seems to have my endocrinologist on edge. I put forth my data since treatment on 3.21.12 and she was pleased with what was there, EXCEPT .... for several lows in which she was wondering "what happened." I tried to explain that since treatment, I have developed some sense of "awareness" again and that I have been catching them somewhere between 50-60. However, over the weekend I was out in the yard with HT doing some burning, weed pulling, raking, spraying for bugs ... and I bottomed out at some point ... it was much later in the day, we had already come in and HT had gone to pick up friends. When they returned, all 3 of them looked at me and said "she's down."

Now.... let's get something straight ... I have never used my disease as an excuse. I was out working, I am, for the most part, living alone, at the time HT was here with me ... I do not have a 24 hour a day babysitter. I am not involved in a relationship with any sort of "significant other," and my daughter is a recent grad who is trying to move on with HER life. My outlook has NEVER been to have my child "take care of me." She does, we are in contact daily, on the norm. So ... you know, one day someone just may find me down and perhaps from a low blood sugar ... those are facts!!! They have always been facts ... however, I am not now, nor have I ever, lived my life with fear of that. I denied it for a long time ... lol ... but as I got older, as HT phrases it best, "it is part of her life, our life, it does not, however, define us." She has always told people that, people who have told her ... (she is just amazed at how little people know) There is no difference in my mother or your mother, my mother just deals with a chronic disease, again, it does not define her. She is so much more ..... That in and of itself, makes me one proud mama.

Ok ... well ... endocrinologist was a little concerned. She has stated in the past that I "scare" her. Maybe it is time for me to cut back a little on how hard I push myself..... with all that has come to light just since Friday. In any event, we dropped my basal rate another 0.5 units per hour across the board, and my early evening to midnight basal a WHOLE unit!!!! To me ... this is pretty impressive!! Along with the drop in basal rate, we adjusted my carb to insulin ratio, going from 1 unit for 13 grams of carb to 1 unit for 15 grams, seems small, but can be a big effort in trying to curb the lows (for those that are unaware of how this works, too much insulin, not enough food/carb can lead to low blood sugars).  I will have labs done in about a week to grab my latest A1c, and the usual monitoring labs, as well as the B12 and related labs from the neurologist.

On Friday, HT and I met with a psychotherapist who specializes in head injury patients ... seemed to be going well until I lost interest, denial was weighing heavy. It didn't matter how hard I tried, certain things just didn't come out clear, without distraction, and at one point, I know I just started to stare off listening to her telling us that "I believe you should begin the process of filing your social security paperwork. It was as if someone stuck me with a really sharp object. As many of you know, I had done this play back in the mid-to-late 90s when the medical community was ready to write me off. Really ... how many lives can one person have????? After a 2 year process and a frustrating one at that, benefits kicked in and for the next 10 years I raised my daughter on very little..... and survived with the help of my little village. To have to begin this process yet again ... this time all based on another individuals stupidity ... I am feeling a vast array of emotions from anger, denial, confusion .... just a wide array of ups and downs, what will I do now. I was making decent money, I enjoyed my job, it involved a lot of reading, staying on top of the CMS guidelines, appropriate applications and the up and coming ICD10. Now ... I have a hard time reading the news and being able to repeat key facts within. It is frustrating at best ... and that doesn't even add in the bills, mortgage, work that comes with home ownership etc.

So ... I sort of got distracted ... so I am off to get ready for yet another doctor appointment. I hope everyone has a great day ... I will do my best to pull reports and post so that I can explain in better detail.

Be good to yourselves ... be good to each other!!
Peace and Light
et

Monday, April 23, 2012

Starting the week off ....

Morning all !!

Well ... small post just to let you  know I am off to Phoenix ... uuuhhhggggg .... I think I am down 5 pounds already this morning, and I am trying to put myself in the proper mind set for the drive. I have an appointment with my endocrinologist .... I am very excited for her to see my data, and on that note, will post again later on. I will also let you know that my head injury status went where I was hoping it would not.

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to the work-week .... and a good week overall.
I will check in later tonight. Have a great day!!!

Be good to yourself, be good to each other!!
Peace and Light
et

Friday, April 20, 2012

Friday happenings

Happy Friday!!

Ok ... just a quickie update.

Anxiety,
occasional panic
body ache and odd responses (massage therapist thinks it is my inner method of coping with the anxiety behind the wheel, which I thought I was approaching appropriately, she agreed, however, the mind is a VERY powerful persuader of response)
fuzzy (at best) memory
short-term CRS (can't remember shit!!) ... (it's ok to laugh ... I am trying)
stresses of coping with ...
family issues
employment issues
home front issues (bills, mortgage, etc)
child issues (she is moving out, and up ... and momma is feeling a little "swept off the bottom of her shoes" I know this was coming ... I just didn't think it would hit so fast ... and in the midst of my chaos.
How to make sure I am compliant with ALL docs and meds ... (lucky for me, my docs are AWESOME and try to work with me in regard to what can be afforded, the most natural way possible to get things done rather than writing a script ... a pill, in my opinion, does NOT fix everything!!!

Ok ... well ... those are some of the issues in which I am attempting to work through as I focus on recovery of my mind and functionality. I am SO glad I can manage to focus on the topics that interest me ... but that is still a questionable retainment status..... ??? I am learning.

For the next couple of days ... HT is home until Sunday ... yard work this morning ... heat is going to slow me, so .. am hoping we can get a good chunk done each day for me to follow up on next week while I am alone. This afternoon I have my first psychotherapy appointment with the woman who is suppose to "help" me get through this ... 5 months after the fact ... she has an excellent reputation on working with head injury patients on retraining, learning tools for me to accomplish the things I can't seem to get done anymore. I am ... again, unsure of all of this ... not really how I approach things. I can vividly remember the last time I spent this much time in sweats!!!! ..... and it was (or at least seem that way) a long time ago, and I had issues of safety involved for both myself and my child. (this phase of my life is book material ... hehehe). We will see how this plays out, HT is going to accompany me to help with some of the things the "outside" sees and how I am responding to other happenings of life.

On Monday .... another trip to Phoenix ... oh joy!!! I again have to do the trip myself ... I have my first appointment with my endocrinologist since my 2nd stemmie treatment .. and I believe I have some excellent data. I am very excited on how she will respond to this data. I am so very much looking forward to sharing some of these numbers and lab values for the past couple of months, and over the next month. To see the correlation between the stemmies and the lab values prior to and post treatment. I think this is VERY exciting stuff. Given how I feel at this very moment .. I would take a booster right now .... hehehe ... I think the way I am feeling has something to do with this B12 BS. Next lab draw on that will be in 2 weeks.

So ... I am heading out to the yard shortly and hope for a decent day, and a productive weekend. One thing I keep being told is to readjust my thinking ... (hahaha ...this is so much easier said than done) and focus on a "time frame" rather then the completion of a project. (suppose to help build my stamina and prevent the headaches that can come back due to the pushing of myself). Again, this has been a portion of my journey in which I was not planning on, completely unprepared to tackle, and feeling as though I am very alone, physically and emotionally, on how to cope with ALL this stuff that needs attention, attention of one who is at least remotely in control of what can be remembered ... I write all sorts of stuff down ... just depends on if I can find it again when needed.

I am not trying to come across as "whining" ... I am just trying to put out there the added stresses to my life in which I CAN discuss currently, and how hard I am finding it ... it is hard to deal with all this financial stress and try and focus on my recovery as well ... almost seems completely opposite of what they are trying to accomplish ... lawyers, insurance companies ... starting to fall in same category as FDA ... LOL ... in my humble opinion.

On that note ... I would like to wish everyone a wonderful, relaxing, productive, whatever makes you happy weekend!!! Be good to yourself .... Be good to each other!!

Peace and Light
et

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

... and today I am done

Morning kids ...

Well ... I went for what will be my last massage for a while, the what some call a "buffer" is gone! Although it has been prescribed I undergo massage every 2 weeks for accident and previous health issues, this is what I would call a "luxury" by many peoples standards. I have bills to pay, and I am not seeing anything legally being settled for God only knows how long.

1. This blows me away on an emotional front. How am I too recover, focus on getting better, getting back to a point where what seemed normal to me prior, is like being a toddler again?"  All this added stress about who is going to get paid, will I lose my home, will I go back to work and maintain the job title, status, and my creditionals??? I worked really hard to prove I could be a "functioning, productive member of society." I was successful at it, and now ... due to the fact I was able to maintain my health, until about a year or two ago when things began to really decline in my ability to go through the day without the help of a friend, puts me in a bad position now. All because of an accident. An accident in which I saw it coming at me, but was unable to do a freakin' thing about it. ....... BBOOOOM!!! was all I heard ... lights out ... and when I awoke, in a panic thinking I was going to burn .... my life suddenly changed in a way that even I, have never had to cope with on a level like this, from this side of the patient/care taker/doctor positions.

It has been almost 5 months since my accident .... does stuff really take this long?? Is all this added stress worth it ... ?? Well, I think so ... but I am not sure how much I can cope with physically as well as mentally, emotionally, etc. I still have a ton of crap to accomplish, and a few things I would actually like to enjoy. Like that week on a tropical paradise ... just reading a book, soaking up the scents, the sounds, hell, I don't even really need company ... hehehe ... just to let go of everything ... breathe deep, exhale slowly ... allow the cobwebs that are going in my head to dissapate, and come back ready to rock and roll for the science in which I have become such a passionate fan.

I believe in prayer ... and I have been doing it .. for myself, for others, for those who have stood by me, close and far away ... your continued prayers, good vibes, encouragement, opinions and love .... they really do go so deep that my words could never convey my appreciation!!!

On that note ... my massage last night has me hurtin' today. My massage therapist told me that "driving to Phoenix is NOT good for your body!!" I was sort of "frozen" in a position in which I know happened on that drive to Phoenix last week. You remember, when I came into the city limits my arms were asleep from the shoulders down due to gripping the steering wheel like I was some sort of B-rated scream queen. I don't think I can remember the last time I heard and felt so much popping and cracking as went on last night. OMG ... from my neck down to the top of that lovely gluteous maximus ... hehehe ... I am going to wrap in the ol' sexy scent of icy hot today ... and just chill .... I am beginning to think my body has almost 50 years of toxic debris floating around in me .... I had a water bottle gone in the time it took me to leave the studio and get home (less than 2 miles), and continued to pound them back until I had wiped out 4 of them before hitting the pillows ... again ... it is an amazingly cleansing feeling.  That magnificent body ... it continues to amaze me with what the body has the ability to do and come back from ... and how our mind frame can affect it ... so ... I am off to a HOT shower, and then the rub down. It is good to keep me flexible and moving ... I am also seeing a nap in our future today, weather is beautiful .. air sucks today. I have been told 3x this week that I am pushing my mind too hard, I need to set time frames in which I do something and not focus on completion of said projects ... this is in complete reverse of what I have always done. I am being forced to "deal with it" if I want to continue life in any sort of functional, $$$, and productive life, and we all know I like my quality ... over my quantity ... hehehehe and ... one last one ... today ... I am down another 1/2 unit of insulin ... toxins be gone!! :O

Something to ponder ... today and everyday!!!!
"Unknown"

I would like to wish everyone a great day .. and a wonderful, relaxing evening.
Let it all go ...
Peace and Light
et

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Just an interesting read ... and some status news

Good Morning ....

I hope this finds everyone doing well and content.

This article came to me this morning ... I think it is a REALLY interesting read. Progress toward SO many people, with SO many diseases and disorders. This is the sort of research that needs to move forward. Paving the way ....

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/ucla-headlines-april-16-2012-232115.aspx

As for me ... I enjoyed my weekend solitude. I need to do a little more of that as I was very productive ... at least by my new, revised standards, in which I am still frustrated with the status of my memory. "Ring my bell" my ass!!! Anyway ... won't go there ... I am doing my best to re-invent ... at least the way I go about accomplishing this day-to-day BS some of us call life. Stress levels are high, and so many areas in which need to have my attention, and not being able to give my prior 100%, I am forced to deal, one at a time, as long as it takes for me to accomplish. I am learning ... yet again, how precious life and the things we do in it, can change and/or be altered, or worse, taken away completely, in a split second. SO ... Enjoy each day like it could be your last, put your best self forward, be good to yourself ... be good to each other. Simple ...

My blood sugars have been amazingly commercial worth, consistently ... I am going to gather some data over the next couple of days ... repeat labs will be done in a couple of weeks, and again, a couple of weeks later, in part, due to a B12 deficiency which is being looked at......?? I am still pretty much pain free, I have had a couple of headaches, and was stiff over the weekend, but I really believe that was just the weather ... which has been weird at best. I actually had to put my heat on over the weekend. Other positive happenings include, my skin, which is really starting to show the positive signs, with even less wrinkles on my face, again, this left side (my driving side) seems to have aged a lot faster than I would have hoped for, LOL ... but the right side is looking FABU!!! and most important, at least to me is seems like a really positive change, is that my stamina seems to be coming back. I am still up early every morning, Maggie is better than any alarm clock for getting it up, and getting me moving ... and I seem to be getting more done and not being so totally wiped out and sore, and a multitude of other ailments that have a way of crawling back in. Overall ... I think this treatment has taken at a much more positive, quicker time frame, and I am hoping for several more months of progressive findings. My blood sugars are just blowing me away ... I have found myself scratching my head on a few occasions ... .just baffled at the results ... ALL well within or below what I have had as a baseline for many years. Of course, what life throws at us ... we all have these happenings to some degree ... I have them, and then I have to add my management of my disease to all this ... it can be a juggling act on the best of days ... in recent months ... my balls have seemed to all be on the ground. So this is my way, of yet again, picking myself up, and dusting myself off .... to move forward so I can continue to help pave the way for others to benefit from this medicine/science!!!! I BELIEVE!!!

Peace and Light to all for a wonderful day!!!
et

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Friday, April 13, 2012

Today's PR on Texas debate of Stem Cell Regs

Here is your read for the day ....
Enjoy ... comments ... ?? (throw me a bone here kids ... lol)

http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/04/experts-divided-on-texas-medical.html?ref=hp


Have a great day!!
Peace and Light
et

Taking the Weekend off

Hello WebWorld!!

Just thinking about what to do for the weekend ... hahahhahaha .... like I really care, seeing as this past week I clearly was unaware of WHAT day it was. I went to the Valley for a doctor appointment on Monday, got that one right. Thought I was told my appointment with my PCP was the next day @ 11 am, showed up ... girl looks at me and says "your appointment is tomorrow." ... couldn't really do anything but laugh ... there are times I shake my own head and think ... "I can't believe they let me out by myself!!" LOL.

Today, I woke sort of sore all over. So much for my pain free status. I firmly believe it is the weather as they are calling for SNOW to begin this afternoon!!! REALLY??!?!?!??? It is mid-April!! Anyway ... I can see, and I can definitely FEEL the incoming dampness, raw and bone hitting (popping/cracking) ache. Not as bad, even remotely, to what I was dealing with prior to treatment. But, I am very much aware of body movements today. So I put the radio on ... I have satellite radio free for the month!!! That means I can spend my weekend hunkered in with all my boys ..... and Maggie. I don't even have to leave the house. Frank, B.B., Dean, Elvis .... lol ... I am one happy girl, and at least Maggie WILL dance with me, even if I go to the "Joint" (reggae)
  

Anyway ... no Jazz and Blues Fest for me this weekend .... :( .... weather is going to be yucky, and I am not thinking I can cope real well with that little added stress. I have many other things to tend with these days. One at a time, one day at a time. It is a pretty good philosophy to go by ... regardless of what we may be coping with. I have plenty to do right here ...

I would like to wish EVERYONE, a fabulous weekend!!
Enjoy ... be good to yourself, be good to each other!!

Peace and Light
et

Monday, April 9, 2012

Not sure where I found this tonight ...

.... but some very cool applications in regard to the counting processes coming to light in the stem cell arena.

https://www.amnis.com/stem-cell-bio.html

(HT and I found this to be an exciting process which pretty much took part at the foot of my recovery/infusion bed, give or take 5-8 feet).

Good Night Folks.
Peace and Light
et

One of the most exciting things I have seen in some time

Hello Everyone!!

Check out this photo ... !!!!
Thanks to my friend AZ Deb, via her new iPhone .. lol ... she took a pic of the hard copy I got in the mail last week from the wonderful team at Stem Genex, and Dr. Mark. These are MY adult (adipose) stem cells from my recent 32112 treatment (my 2nd) coming to life ... in living color!!




Are they not just the most beautiful thing??? LOL .... yep I'm a geek!!
I'm going to blow it up and matte it as when my bedroom is finally completed, the walls will be one of these beautiful shades of lavender ... with my ocean motif' ... the colors calm me, and the scenes take me to a quiet, calming place ... something in which I have been lacking now for some time. I just really think this whole process, and the amazing results I have shown continues to bring me the ultimate hope that there is a future with CURE ... for SO many!! The ability for me to be a small part of this ground-breaking science/medicine/ and the FDA allowing it under strict guidelines, but the ability to let people know ... don't give up on your faith in mankind!!! I feel so amazingly blessed by some of the people that have been placed in my path, especially since my accident. I believe I had a fairly decent neurology appointment today down in Phoenix. I had to do this trip by myself. Just when I thought I had overcome a good portion of my anxiety behind the wheel .... I made into the Phoenix city limits and my arms were numb from the shoulders down due to gripping the wheel so tightly for an hour!!! I was like a love struck teenager, my hands were so sweaty!!! I got a grip .. in the waiting room. Labs reportedly show a B12 deficiency, and an "overproduction of homocysteine." "Which can cause cognitive problems." WONDERFUL ... and I thought this was ALL due to hitting my head!! Humbling ... but still with much work to do on the emotional, PTSD, relearning, retention, and recalling of things taught, or even said to me. (As I forgot to tell him about one thing that others are noticing, and continues to bother my focus. My right eye has this tendency to wander inward, especially when I am tired, to the point the neighbor noticed my eyes cross one night, (I thought I was just dizzy) and she said ... whoa, your eyes crossed. From the end of the driveway!!!

So ... going to grab a bite to eat, and call it an early night ... driving for 4+ hours just for a doctor appointment can wear on me. I am so happy that I have some wonderful, open minded doctors working with me and like a parachute ... minds only work when fully open.

I hope everyone had a decent Monday ...
Have a good week!!
Peace and Light
et


Sunday, April 8, 2012

The AdiStem Process used for my treatment

For the professionals that may be following me ... or for those who, like myself, like to dig a little deeper. :)

The AdiStem process is the process in which I underwent both of my adult (adipose) stem cell treatments ... and I have to say ... from this girls eyes, it is not only totally cool in the process of harvesting, activating, cleaning, etc ... to watch ... but the physical and emotional benefits I have experienced with my treatments, even more with this second round, are just beyond my comprehension at times. It really is an amazing process to be a part of.

http://www.adistem.com/adiceuticals.htm

Peace and Light
et

I can't help but get excited .....

Good Evening,

I hope the link below to the most recent UCLA stem cell symposium is as enlightening to others I found it.
I can't help but get excited experiencing some of the latest progressions since my most recent treatment, #2. The feelings, sensations, happenings, and down right, factual data (BG logs/tracking) are showing even more promise for me this time around. I am sort of chocking this up to improved harvest, cleaning/bathing of the cells, and the process in general, being minimally invasive at best ... it was CLEARLY evident, and to this untrained scientific eye, that there was  obvious improvement in the process. Along with that ... the people we met on our recent trip were some of the best in the field, from Europe, the states, and some major universities ... i.e., UCLA ... southern California is a mecca of information, research, development, and hopefully, some clinical trials soon so we can get this to the people ... sooner than later. Its reach is wide range ... and the potential for improved, and perhaps ... the big C .. as in CURE!!! for so many.

http://www.stemcell.ucla.edu/news/stem-cell-scientists-discover-way-correct-mutations-human-mitochondria-rna-targeting

My outlook still holds true for me. I prefer quality over quantity, and my risks seems pretty minimal to me given what I have already overcome due to disease complications, multiple medical issues, not all being related to Type 1, but an overall immune response misfiring. It seems to be a family history trait on both paternal and maternal sides of the family. I can't help but feel I am some sort of gifted lab rat ... and I am loving the opportunity to share my experiences. As long as "quality" is available, then my quantity can only improve ... and I continue to hope that progress does not get held up any longer than it has too.

Enjoy the read .... and I hope everyone had a resurrecting day of hope and love with friends, family, and loved ones.

Enjoy the evening!!
Peace and Light
et

Do your research .... and be aware (be-ware)

Good Morning ...
and Happy Easter/Passover!!


This mornings headlines/press releases on the stem cell front.
All I will say about this article is that I have encountered 2-3 people in my blogging here who underwent treatment here and none had very promising results, or review of treatment on levels such as language, length of stay, over-all treatment as a patient.

So ... as I have stated many times before, do your research, seek patients who have undergone treatment, companies/doctors/facilities offering these treatments ... and often times .... an exorbitant fee. Go with your GUT feelings .... they usually do not let us down. :) Adult Stem Cell treatments may not be currently FDA approved, but do the math, travel, expenses, treatment costs, all out of pocket ... then add the overall treatment as patients and respect of such.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9192216/Stem-cell-doctor-forced-to-close-his-clinic-after-childs-death-is-back-in-business.html

Wishing everyone a wonderful day!!

Peace and Light
et



Saturday, April 7, 2012

On this day ...

To all of you whom have touched my life in such ways that my words could never completely express my gratitude, respect, open-communication, knowledge, research, friendships, prayers, encouragement, professional peers, from all walks of life, and most of all the love and courage to move forward.

Your gifts are beyond words ... they resignate from the passionate hearts of each and every one of you!!! Thank You!!




To come again, to be re-born, to be given another chance ... May all things beautiful spring to life on this day. Happy Easter / Passover to all who are part of me. et~


In Peace, Light, and Love
Happy Easter ~ Passover !!!




et&maggie12

Some post-treatment happenings

Happy Saturday ...

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter/Passover .... may the Peace and Love overflow!!

I just wanted to make a quickie post and enlighten you on a few of the positive changes I have noticed since treatment on 4/21/12.  First, you all know that I, again, put my new cells to the test when last weekend I had a severe allergy related asthma attack which landed me in the hospital for the weekend. With that ... they started the prednisone again ...a 9 day taper after tankin' me with a mega dose in the ER. Ok, well ... dig this ... since last weekend, I have only had to run my pump at a slightly higher rate on the weekend due to the megadose. Since the taper, although I have had a couple of what I call very high numbers, over all, it has been THE EASIEST steroid taper I have EVER done!! This leads me to believe that my insulin intake is going to be down again, based on the FACT that I lowered my dose from 0.65 to 0.60 units per hour just prior to landing in the hospital. This is pretty amazing for me, given we all know that the corticosteroids can wreak havoc on blood sugars, kidney function, and overall well being with some nasty side effects if on for an extended period of time. This is coming for me too, last night I noticed that acidly feeling and overall burning sensation in my epigastric region (common for me with the longer tapers). I am at the point where all I want to do is eat, starches, to calm the feeling as I know, at times it has made me sick (really, really).

Ok ... well ... along with that, my neck continues to improve, although I have been trying to keep up on the stretching that was taught in PT, the massage therapy, and all the rest I have been getting, time I guess. Along with my neck, the lower lumbar pain I had since the accident has dissipated to the point where I almost forgot I had it, until I pushed myself to do some much needed cleaning yesterday.

I am in process of cleaning up my Chi ... LMAO ... HT says I am too cluttered since ... well, since what .. 2008!! .... I am trying to focus on one project at a time ... that is, removing all paperwork, etc, that belonged to my parents that landed in my home ... because, I, "don't have a life." I need to free up the space .. in more ways than one, on multiple emotional levels ... all part of my therapy I guess .... I'm all for mind/body connections ... but mine always seems to turn into a sitcom!!!

On that note, I would like to wish ALL a wonderful weekend, family prep, children being children for a change ... parents, behaving like big people ... and an overall good feeling towards ourselves, and each other.

With Peace and Light
et

Friday, April 6, 2012

Recent findings on ASC's

Very interesting stuff ... I have not completed this read, but what I did get, seemed worthy of sharing.

http://www.discoverymedicine.com/Morikuni-Tobita/2011/02/23/adipose-derived-stem-cells-current-findings-and-future-perspectives/


Enjoy the read/info!!
Have a wonderful day!!
Peace and Light
et

Thursday, April 5, 2012

It is time ...

to look past the all too many injustices we have become as a human race.
It is time to stop judging the "book by it's cover."
We are in this together, we helped create it ... we must be part of the solution.

DO NOT Underestimate my power to overcome ... and change for the greater good of all mankind.



Wishing Everyone a Very Happy Easter Weekend!!



Peace and Light
et 

Today's Promising Press Releases ...

Good Morning!

I hope this post finds all well.

I am going to post a couple of this mornings VERY promising press releases.

http://www.openpr.com/news/216739/StemGenex-Offers-Therapy-for-Parkinson-s-Disease.html

http://www.sys-con.com/node/2234840

... and great news for our pets too!!! (New hips all around!!!)

On my own front, I continue to show signs of stability ... in some areas. I will be focusing on trying to get my life back ... or some resemblance of my old life. Happenings which have come "to a head" this week have me, among other things, unsure, down, distracted, stressed, anxious, disappointed .... and for reasons not all in my control ... most of which seem I have NO control at all ... must somehow be dealt with. Due to a legality side to several of these issues, and where and what I will do in regard to a job title ..... I guess my writing should be addressed and pointed to the book rather than the blog. Please know, I have no plans on giving up ... I just have some things that require me to soul search if you will, and apply the little focus I seem to be able to muster these days into a positive outlook, rather than the angry, irritated feelings that are coming to the surface in regard to injuries sustained in the accident back in December. Yesterday, I seemed to have had a little snap when I informed my attorney's assistant that I am "getting angry, angry that 4 months after the fact, I am forced to alter what life I had, because some idiot decided in a split second to be completely irresponsible ... for what, and took what I was looking forward to away and forced me to deal with all this chaos, stress, uncertainty ... a complete nightmare on that front.

I will try and do my best to continue to post informative, educational, perhaps a few chuckles ... I need to laugh a little more .... so many things in me, around me, etc ... have changed, or have to change, and although I am no stranger to change, and I know that it is always good in the long run, the uncertainty of such change can be very intimidating when one feels isolated and unable to truly express my current fears. I must do this now in a professional atmosphere ... and for that, I hope I can remain respectful, respected, for my attempt to make it all as positive as possible.

I would like to wish everyone a wonderful weekend!!!
Be good to yourself .... Be good to each other!!
In Peace and Light
et

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

An Honor

For the friend of a friend, who is doing some amazing work!!
Congrats to Dr. March!!!

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=53012

Have a wonderful day!!
Peace and Light
et

Monday, April 2, 2012

This sort of news saddens me, but it is out there

Good Morning to all !!!

I am home today and have to tell you it was wonderful to have slept in my own bed after 36+ hours of little to no sleep over the weekend in my latest health scare of a really bad asthma attack brought on by the all to familiar Arizona spring winds and all that lovely moon dust and whatever it holds blowing around. It was one of the most scary encounters late Friday evening totally freaking me, my companion, Maggie, and my daughter, HT, coming in to discover me purple/blue trying to gain air. Off to the ER, and the weekend spent in the inn being pumped full of corticosteroids and antibiotics. Fortunately, it did not make it to pneumonia state this time as I freely said ... "I need to go to hospital." That comment right there, coming out of my mouth, sent HT into overdrive. Today, I stay in the house, doing what I am told, and staying out of the wind in which I can hear just roaring outside. Time for this "water baby" to return to her element, somewhere I can breathe fairly easy without all this added stress. I truly feel like that commercial for allergy / asthma sufferers .... "I'm like a fish with no water!!!" FOR SURE!!!! It is a terrible feeling.

On the stemmie front. I have to say, I was feeling totally awesome, and ever so hopeful prior to this hit over the weekend, and once this subsides, I will continue with this. The procedure was amazing, I had very little, almost no bruising this time around. Nothing but a tinge of faint green on the surface, could feel the deeper bruising, but nothing that couldn't be tolerated. I only took some of the pain med prescribed that first day after treatment and mostly due to the fact that we were traveling and it was sort of uncomfortable on a few levels. My mind feels clearer, although I am still fragmented in my thoughts, and trying to verbalize them coherently when I speak ... I get hung up alot when I am searching for a word, or knowing a word and it just doesn't come out ... (not sure if that makes any sense to anyone) I saw this sort of frustration in my mom after her stroke and as the Parkinson's progress. I could see the frustration and pain in her eyes not being able to communicate as she knew best. Up front and to the point. It makes me feel very inadequate at times, as I don't consider myself to be a dumb/stupid (not trying to be derogatory or demeaning) individual. I am hoping that with the start of therapy later this week, we can come to some happy medium in where and how to cope with this new line of challenge to move forward, and hopefully get me back to work. No money coming in is just adding to an already very stressful situation and yet I am being told to be "compliant with follow up doctor visits." That is all well and good, but who is going to pay for all this gas to and from Phoenix, and not to mention the bills that are beginning to back up at enormous rate.....??? Sorry ... those are just some of the issues on top of my health, in which I have been forced to deal with, and often time, scattered and forgetful at best.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/patient-beware-stem-cells-harm/story?id=16042857#.T3m3p9Xd2Sq

OK ... to the link above  .... please don't let this latest news publicity stop you from pursuing stem cell treatment, or the belief that it holds key progress for so many. We see this sort of greedy behavior on so many levels. PLEASE, be diligent in your research, I told you before, your gut usually holds the right move. DO NOT ALLOW A FEW BAD APPLES to deteriorate what so many are striving to get done CORRECTLY. I see no real reason why a clinic, doctor, etc has to send off the cells to another facility and wait .... my cells were processed right in front of me ... they were handled with the utmost of care, right down to the 2 syringes that were held  back to be injected into my neck. Placed gently on my stomach and said "guard those!!" "Those are yours!!" ... the process and proper handling of the procedure is key to getting the results we need to bring the data of progress, hope, viability to the powers that be. We can't allow these greedy, no moral type doctors to take down an amazing group of doctors, scientists, bio-engineers, etc. to defray all the positive work being done. PLEASE .... be aware of what you are getting into. Those of us who are depending on this for a positive, healthy future, need the positive passion of those that are really on this to be cut down due to a few unscrupulous individuals that prey on the unfortunate, sometime desperate individuals looking for one last hope. Thank you ... for your continued open mindedness on this subject. I for one, will not give up as I have found a legitimate, human, passionate group of patients, doctors, scientists, etc ... looking our for my best interest for a healthy, happy future ... and that is why I will continue to support my team at Stem Genex for all the hard, diligent work they continue to do to stay legit in this often daunting situation of the powers that be and the greedy that look to take advantage of those less fortunate.

Have a great day ... be good to you, be good to each other!!!
Peace and Light
et

Sunday, April 1, 2012

You are not going to believe this latest turn

Happy Sunday ... Palm Sunday, if I recall correctly.

Well ... latest turn of events came down in the wee hours of Friday night/Saturday morning. I heard HT come in from a date, I was in the bathroom coughing my brains out trying to catch a real breath. Maggie, the dog, was standing in front of me as a place to lean on, she looked lost, I was just struggling to breath. HT came in and said my face was literally oompa-loompa blue/purple. She listened to my lungs and said she thought we needed to go to the ER, I quickly agreed. She told me later she knew I was not good when I agreed freely and quickly. I have no idea I was sitting there trying to catch a real breath. Anyway, we arrived at ER and was quickly swept back. Not really sure what went down after that other than the multiple pokes by multiple people trying to start a line and collect blood cultures. (Remember last year this time I landed at the local inn for a week with bilateral pneumonia). They pumped me full of an antibiotic, solumedrol IV, which quickly took my recent improvement back to the 4 steps backwards. After laying in the ER until 6 am, I was taken up stairs where I remain currently, but am hoping to be cut loose within the hour. I sort of flunked the walk/o2 test per doctor standards, but the respiratory therapist said I was not a qualifier for home O2 ... works for me. I know once this crud breaks up and I can clearly breath again, I will be ok in the stats department. Until then, I go home on the prednisone taper for 9 days, and hope for the best. I don't think I can stay in an area like this much longer if I have to undergo this sort of drama once a year between March/April/May .... Prescott AZ has apparently become the highest pollen count area in the country. Any suggestions from those out there about the perfect place to reside, hang your hat, call home .... ??? LOL .... really ... and Florida is not an option for this girl.

So ... I will await for my little girl to arrive and take me home where I will do one hot shower, get prepared for the steroid taper ... and just listen to my body and get some of this crud moving up and out. No yard work in my near future ... home will have to become a townhouse/with this stuff included. So much for my independence. Friends came to visit last night, when I mentioned how tired I am getting of the 2 steps forward, 3 steps back, he responded with "its more like you climb high and crash down 3 rungs to crash hard." "you just can't seem to catch a worthy break." ..... hahaha ... while I wait, I will catch some of the Celtics/Heat game.

Today will be low key ... so ... I would like to wish everyone a peaceful, joyous day, relax, be good to yourself ... be good to others.

Peace and Light
et