Hello all. My name is Kris and am “clinically” a c-5 complete quad. I was injured in 1989 on my dirt bike – spent a year in the hospital mending from fractures of my neck c-4,c-05,c-6, broken arms and shoulders, and oh yeah….my thumb too. Anyone who has experienced something similar to what I’ve been through, or cares for someone who has, knows the lack of answers for their ever present dilemma. From the beginning, I could not accept my situation as permanent, so I set out to find a way to get back on my feet again. I looked into a lot of unconventional treatments, most yielded nothing. In 1995 I was at a disability expo with my father where we met Dr. Ramirez along with his first patient, Israel, who was using leg braces and walking crutches at the time (Last time I saw him in ’99 he walked unassisted). After several trips to Mexico – MRI, blood work, consultations with the doctors, etc. -- I was finally considered a candidate. My surgery lasted six hours and I was in far less pain and discomfort than I’d expected (compared to fusions). An incision was made on the dura exposing my spinal cord so scar tissue could be cleared. Embryonic shark cells were implanted along with growth factors. I stayed in the hospital in T.J. for two days and then returned home. From the first day after the procedure I was getting new sensations. I had burning in my arms, hands and back, and it was if I could also for the first time “feel” my insides (deep touch). I spent the next three years doing therapy four hours a day, five or six days a week. On alternating weeks my buddies and I would travel to T.J. to see Dr. Ramirez. He would assess my progress and give me two or three injections next to the spinal cord. The most noticeable change were new sensations down my back close to my spine. I also would have sporadic burning in my arms and hands. Today I still am functionally a c-5 quad. I have normal sensation down my forearms, hot & cold in my thumbs and parts of my hands; quite a bit more down my back, and some abdominals.
So what did I gain out of all of this time, effort, money, and hope spent? I cannot give you a bottom line answer – the journey isn’t over. I never once questioned Dr. Ramirez’s integrity, and the hope he carries for each patient and their recovery is clear. He has always been open-minded and understanding. The day I told him I felt I’d reached a plateau in my progress and it was time for me to move on was a little sad, but sometimes things come full circle… After years of following the latest in spinal cord research, along came stem cells. Personally, I have always been drawn to the use of umbilical cord derived stem cells. I was pretty excited to hear that Dr. Ramirez and his colleagues were entertaining the idea of using the cells on a spinal cord injury. I truly believe that Dr. Ramirez and his team are helping to build a strong case for the promise of using umbilical cord stem cells for the treatment of various conditions, and hopefully now, for those with spinal cord injuries.
I am very optimistic about Greg’s surgery and treatments. I believe he has solid, knowledgeable team, and given Dr. Ramirez’s experience with operating on numerous cases of spinal cord injury, he is in excellent hands. I pray the outcome for Greg Minow is beyond what may be expected.
KRIS