Well, I realize there may not be many readers of my Panama blog any longer, but just in case someone does return, I wanted to post an important update.
In March 2011 when I returned from my second trip to Panama (my last blog), I soon had a MS relapse. It was the biggest setback I had experienced since my diagnosis. I spent a week in the hospital in Dallas and had numbness from my toes to my chest. When I got home, I was better - the steroids had made the numbness go down to just my lower legs, but I was practically home bound - used a walker or cane most of the time and spent most hours sitting in a chair at home - feeling like this was going to be my lifestyle for the rest of my days!
Even after going to physical therapy and doing everything I was supposed to be doing, my progress was minimal. I was fitted with a brace for my left leg to help the foot drop that was causing me to stumble. My mobility was very limited and I needed help getting most anywhere. I could not hold my new grandson unless I was sitting down, and I couldn't walk across the room without thinking about each move.
In September of 2011 I went back to Panama for a short visit to get what Dr. Paz called a "little booster." My mom went with me for this third trip - we stayed in the hotel by the MultiPlaza mall and had a good time since it was mom's first trip to Panama. But the best news was what happened once we returned.
I had begun a daily log of my condition weeks before I went to Panama - mainly measuring and logging my walking and mobility - here are the exact numbers leading up to my trip and once I got back - these numbers are coming straight from my calendar log - (on a scale of 1 - 10 - how well am I'm getting around):
5,4,5,4,5,5,5,5,5+,5,(panama), 5,5+,5+,6,6,6,
7,8,6,7,7,8,7,8,8,6,6,6,7,8,7,7,8,8,8,8,8,8,7,7,7,7,8,8,8,7(end of Oct)
8,8,8,8,8,8,8+,8,9,9,8,8,7,8,7+,8,8+,8+,8+,8,7,7,8+,8,8,7+,7,7,7,7+(Nov)
7+,8+8,7+,7+,7,7+,7+,8,8,7+,8,8,7+,7,7+,7,7,7+8,8+,7+,7+,8,7+,7+,7+,7,7+,7 (Dec)
7,8,8,7,7,7,7,8,8,8,7,8,8
I know these numbers don't mean a great deal to you, but they are huge to me - the difference in getting around at about a 5 compared to 7 & 8 is really big - numbers don't do it justice. My mobility is MUCH improved - I don't need the brace any longer, I walk like a normal person until I get tired, I can stay on my feet longer, I can jump rope again, I can stand and walk with my grandson in my arms, I don't have to think to walk from one place to another, and even Kathy sees a huge difference (she has been a little hesitant about the good of stem cells).
So I am very excited and encouraged about my improvements. I can live a fairly normal life right now. And I don't know if it's the stem cells that made the difference or simply God's grace and favor, but I do know it all happened right around the 3rd trip to Panama, so the stem cells had something to do with it. As I have said numerous times before, maybe God is using the stem cells to help me just as He used the Jordan River to heal Naaman's leprosy after he dipped in it seven times.
But I do want to say this - all of these news shows (60 Minutes, 20/20, etc) coming from the US, that keep saying there are no benefits to stem cell treatments, are only showing you what the FDA and US drug companies want them to say. They have not talked to me, or Richard Humphries, or Preston Walker or many others who have seen dramatic results - we are not healed, but our quality of life is greatly improved and many people are witnessing it. (Now that I am better and getting out, people in town constantly say, "I can't believe how well you look and how good you are doing.")
Don't listen to those media shows and don't just listen to me - come see the difference!
Thanks again to all who have helped and have been encouraging in my quest to overcome this disabling disease. I encourage all of you to take your health issues into your own hands - be pro-active. What do you have to lose? Many of you may be thinking just like I was - if I do nothing, I know where I will be in 3 years.
One last bit of information - the clinic in Panama is having good but maybe mixed results with MS treatments, but they are whipping, yes whipping, arthritis! If you have a friend or loved one who is dealing with arthritis and the doctors here have said, "your only hope of being mobile again is knee replacements and/or hip replacements", then you owe it to your friend or yourself to call me or get in touch with the stem cell clinic. What do yo have to lose? There are no side effects or dangers to stem cell treatments. Do it today!
Stay Strong!
Sam Harrell
972 268-3894
cellmedicine.com (website)
