Hi. My name is Eric. This is my journey after being paralyzed in an off-road motorcycle accident on January 22, 2011. I suffered a fractured T12 resulting in a ASIA A Complete spinal cord injury. I have no sensation or motor function from my waist down and am in a wheelchair. My wife, two young daughters, family and friends have been supporting me in this journey.


Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Bio-Fit and Stem Cell Injections - June 8, 2011


Physical Therapist Alexis stretching Eric

This morning Eric went into for physical therapy session.  He will go to PT every weekday for the remaining days he is here.  We learned that Alexis had spent 5 years at a university for his training.  After putting Eric through stretches, Alexis again focused on abs exercises to strengthen his core.  This was all different exercises, mostly using different size medicine balls.  He did crunches lifting the ball over his head and sat up and raised and lowered the ball both centered and on each side to work on his obliques.  The session ended with some pushups with Eric on his knees.  Overall it seemed like a good workout. 

Next we went back to the hotel, ate some lunch and relaxed reading books as we waited for the trip back to the Stem Cell Institute this afternoon.  At 3pm our transporation picked us up and we were whisked off to Eric's appointment.  Were either of us anxious, not really.  We both agreed we were just "ready" for this to begin. 

The first part of the appointment was reviewing Eric's medical information with the lady who performed the lumbar injection.  Was he alergic to anything, what medications is he on, what surgeries has he had, etc.  After that Eric had to sign again.  She stated we will go through this procedure every time he gets injections.  Then we walked to another room, the "clean room" which Tracy could not enter to perform the lumbar injection of the umbilical cord stem cells.  The physicians fully sterilized Eric's back, then covered his back with like a huge piece of tape with a little opening only for the injection spot.  Eric felt a little prick for the anestesia and a little prick for the stem cell injection.  The most painful part was removing the tape back off of his back.  The entire process took maybe 10 minutes.  He then returned to the normal doctors office for his stem cell injection into an IV in his arm which only took maybe 5 minutes.

After that we had to go to a hospital to buy meds in case Eric got a headache.  Between the traffic and sidetrip, it was an hour before we were back to the hotel so Eric could lay down to prevent a headache.  Luckily he did not get a headache, and after an hour of rest we were out the door to get dinner.  It was a good day!

2 comments:

  1. Feeling like a pin cushion yet? All of my fingers are crossed and my thoughts and prayers with you both and the girls.

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  2. Sounds like your working very hard. We are all thinking of you. Keep up the great work.

    Steve

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