hi, This is my first post and would like to know if anyone has any information about upcoming clinical trials using embryonic stem cells for spinal cord injury.
Last year my son was in a motorcycle accident. It was his first time he had ever been on a motorcycle and he lost control, hitting a guardrail. He has a C-6/ C-7 injury to his spinal cord. He is 29 years old with a 5 year old son. His wife left him for another man. He does not expect miracles but is willing to do just about anything to get finger movement. we are willing to travel anywhere in world, as long as it's not a third world country.

If anyone knows anything that could help us. please let us know

THANKS SO MUCH!
Pat

Europe is way ahead of the US in regards to stem cell research but right now that is far less important as to preventing muscular atrophy he needs to be stretched out 1-2 times a day he needs physical therapy daily and massage and or acupuncture with electric stimulation 3-4 times per week every week (a good place to go is a massage or acupuncture school where they may even treat him for free). Also there are special braces that he needs to be wearing for his feet so they do not tighten up. There are herbs he can be taking to maximize blood flow which will aid in the healing process which the acupuncturist will give you. Vitamins E, C and all your B-complex vitamins are key and also berries, glucosamine, MSM and condroiten are useful. If you do those things it will maximize his chances for a recovery to include the possibility of walking weather or not you get the stem cell therapy. As a matter a fact I was at the VA today and met a guy who was a POW in Vietnam escaped and later volunteered to go back and got caught in an explosion where he broke his neck and was a quadriplegic for 2 and a half years and now he walks WELL. You would never guess he broke his neck much less to now be working at the VA pushing people in wheelchairs around, I guess they gave him that job as inspiration to others.

God bless
,Mike

MIKE,
I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION, BUT WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING IS IMPOSSIBLE AT THE MOMENT. HIS INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING. HE DOES HIS OWN PHYSICAL THERAPY BUT IT IS NOT THE SAME AS HAVING A PHYSICAL THERAPIST. HE TAKES THE VITAMINS YOU MENTIONED. ACUPUNTURE IS NOT COVERED AND TO PAY FOR IT HIMSELF, WOULD DEPLETE HIS FUNDS. HE IS SUBSISTING ON 1500.00 A MONTH FROM SOCIAL SECURITY. STEM CELLS ARE HIS ONLY HOPE.

AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP BUT WE NEED MORE AGGRESSIVE MEASURES.
PAT

Pat,

Chemar and I also responded to you in the thread here:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread35406.html

I agree it is tough I know a 21 year old kid that also got his neck broke in a motor cycle acident. He comes to my school for treatment 3 times a week. When he comes we gather up all of the first year students to do tui na on him then we get to or 3 needlers and 2 electric stimilator machines and turn up the juice. Many of the people I go to school with are already doctors or physical therapists and give him very good advice there I was in the room when my friend who is a physical therapist told him he would come to his house to do therapy with him if he had time. Acupuncture and massage schools are usually small and have 25-100 students (usually). They are usually owned by one guy or a family and if you go there and tell them what you just told me (I have a broken neck and no money) they will probally treat him for free because the students need practice and it's good business to show that they are helping poor people with spinal cord injuries not to mention the moral factor (If it was me and I had a clinic I would treat him for free and so would most of the people I go to school with. You can't find out unless you ask. If he recieved that kind of treatment he would walk again, see the nervice system is like a spidder web you cut it in one place the spidder (your body) comes and fixes it and if it can't fix it it works around it to make the web whole but the spidder (your body) needs the right tools to get the job done. That's where all the therapy comes in and the fact that he is young makes things even easier.

Stem cell research:
The following is one way that stem cells are used for spinal cord injuries not the only way but it is the one I know about.
Basically to make stem cells work in someone he needs to be in the hosiptal for a week where they bring his immune system down to the point where even a small grem can kill him then they inject the stem cells after this he needs to be in the hospital for another week or two and if he lives and does not die from a small germ he has to be supper careful for the next 6-8 months because his immune system will be so weak that even the smallest sickness could kill him. They are practicing this in Europe right now and he can go and get it done but it is very risky.

Now add all that up;
-Round trip flight to Europe with a high risk of dieing as a result of the flight back
-At least 2 weeks in a hospital
-The doctors who do the treatment
-The cost of the actual stem cells
-Travel expenses
-Whatever drugs they give him to take after the procedure

If he can't afford therapy I wish him luck with that bill though maybe he could take a loan.

God Bless
,Mike

A few more quick tips:
1)Putting him in cold water then hot water then cold again 15 minutes each will help move his blood and help the healing process.
2)streching out his muscles for him once or twice a day, someone has to do that for him at least once a day every day.
3)Electronic muscle stimulation, you can shock him with one of those and move his blood and prevent muscle wasting for free at home for him.
4)Anyone can work his muscles or even needle or cup him it's not that hard.

God bless and good luck
,Mike