Groundhog Day!!

Hi Guys....the picture is of Michelle and I outside the hospital, don't look too closely we were feeling hot, bothered an grumpy!! For those of you who have seen the movie Groundhog Day, you will know exactly what I mean, same thing different day!! Tuesday started with physio, i do about an hour or just over now, then two injections, this time one in my arm and the other was shared in each thigh. We decided to go to the Hyatt for lunch, they have a buffet. It was nice for a change. Tuesday night we met in the foyer with a few other patients and their carers to play cards, from my perspective i was playing for sheep stations! Played a few rounds of 21 and then Uno. One of the carers took a walk to a bottle shop and bought a few bottles of bacardie breezera ($1 each!) Patients can't drink but the carers were in their element sitting back having a little reminder of the comforts of home, we once again ordered pizza, it was great fun.

After physio on Wednesday we met with Dr Geeta, it was lovely to sit and ask a few questions, except I couldn't think of anything being put on the spot. We chatted for a while and i my memory began to work again, i asked for a hand rail in the shower, which i got and is bit easier. Dr Geeta told me, which i didn't know, that she doesn't normally take on Muscular Dystrophy patients from overseas because the treatment is continual due to the progressive nature of MD, so what she has to do with me is figure out how many stem cells i need to stop the muscle detoration then a few more to rebuild the muscle, its more difficult than treating a spinal cord patient, infact the physio therapists work them much harder than me. I asked her why she allowed me to come and she said after seeing my video she couldn't say no, she went onto explain how a patient from Qld who has a spinal cord injury and is a mother of three said to Geeta that she didn't want another mother to go through what she has and was going back to Australia to spread the word, i wonder if because I'm a mother it helped her to decide to treat me. She suggested i return in about 3 months and the just whenever i feel my body going through a period of detoration. She also told me of another patient who works for the Labor party on a Federal level and has motorneurons, told her about a loop hole in the Australian regulations on treating incurable and terminal patients, they can import medications. Dr Geeta is goint to forward me his email address, because as she see's it, once she works out how many stem cells i need, i could inject daily (like a diabetic). I know thats a long way off, but its something to work towards and is hopeful for having treatment at home, so now i just have to get intouch with this guy and follow it up.

After meeting with Dr Geeta we went to Deelhi Haai, a local market. Andrew came with us and enjoyed the shopping experience, in fact he ate from a cart there and was still standig to tell the story last night, we were not that adventurous. It was so hot, when we returned Nicki and i both had headaches, think we were dehydrated, Nicki fell asleep for a while, i went to yoga with Michelle and then had an early nigh. Because i have to be careful what medicatiuons i take i asked the nurse for something as my pounding head was making me sick, she also came back with vitamin B12, vitamin C complex and folate, from what i understand my blood tests came back that i had low iron levels, but to be honest i didnt really understandwhat was explained to me. (yes, i will follow it up)

Today is Thursday and i'm taking it easy, i feel bit drained. Michelle has gone shopping again. I completed physio and the therapist added a few new exercises, my new foot supports arrived, but i couldn't stand in them, hard to explain but basically they sit too high up my calf, so they will be cut back and we'll try walking in them tomorrow. But the good news is that my 'gait' is improving, my right leg is almost walking normally, both Nicki and the therapist watched me walking with the frame made the commented it has improved, still long way to go from my perspective (but I'm my worse critic!!!!!!) the progress is slow and steady and thats the important thing. (keep telling me that!)