Day 10 Eden

The attached photo is of Dave’s stem cells; the red vials are the neuronal and the black are the immune system.

Today is Dave’s fourth and last stem cell transplant (this go around). Joe left at 11:00 for a 2:00 flight out of Belize City. Dave’s prep work was already started, so he got to be with him for that. The transplant was the same as the previous ones. He receives mannitol to open the blood brain barrier first; the stem cells are warmed and transferred to a Saline IV bag; Dave’s vitals are monitored the entire time and he is on Oxygen; when the IV bag is empty they inject a bit more Saline to make sure that no stem cells are still in the bag; Dave receives the mannitol again until it is finished. Today the transplant was neuronal (neurological) stem cells for the nervous system and hemapoetic (I think that is how it is spelled) which are the stem cells for the blood and the immune system. The transplant should be 5 vials of each, they gave Dave 10 vials of the hemapoetic as an extra boost to his system (we will try to find out what Dr. Mitchell’s idea behind that was and let you know). We are pleased to know that they pay such individual attention to each case, and David is being treated so specially and so well. Dave was meditating and visualizing the stem cells going to the right targets as he was receiving them. He was surrounded by his healing shawl and teddy bears.

Last night Dr. Mitchell invited Jake and John (Jerry’s sons), Joe, Cindy and me in to meet Denise who is here for another booster. She was first transplanted 9 months ago. She has the same form of ALS as Dave (the Limb onset which manifests in the limbs). She has had the disease for almost 3 years and uses a scooter to get around. The good news is that the disease has not progressed in 9 months; she can breathe easier and has better movement of her arms and hands; her fasciculations have stopped. She is here with her husband and they are very pleased with her lack of regression and her small improvements as they saw her deteriorate for two years previously. She is living with the disease and not getting worse. Dr. Mitchell says she is very strict about her diet and does rehab 3 times a week. We hope that she might be able to meet with Dave and Jerry before we leave. This is what we are hoping for Dave: that the disease flat lines and gets no worse. Anything better than that is icing on the cake and God’s will for David.

Love to you all; Beannie and Cindy, and Dave