As our time here in China comes to an end, Michelle and I took some time tonight to reflect on all of our CRAZY and WONDERFUL experiences. First things first…the hospital and company staff were absolutely wonderful. They are the most caring, compassionate, and just plain awesome people you will ever meet! We feel as though we didn’t just make acquaintances while here in China, we made life-long friends! We exchanged email addresses and phone numbers with just about everyone. 
I never thought that I would have learned so much during this time but I beg a differ. I have learned so much from the culture and people that I will be forever changed and somewhat indebted to them. I recommend coming to China with all of my heart, to anyone who is looking into stemcell treatment. Michelle and I were talking this evening and she remembered a particular conversation we had early in our trip, and she had said that this was going to be pretty much the only time she would ever be in China. However, tonight she said that she would have to take that back because, she would come back to China in a hearbeat! This experience has been one of the best experiences of our lives. I am so hopeful for all of the patients here and I know that without a doubt they are in excellent hands! I wish all of you good and improved health! In clsoure, I would like to thank all of the nurses, doctors, translators (Wendy and Selena ), delivery people, Grace and Jon for making us feel so comfortable and showing us such a wonderful time! And lastly to our families and friends for being so supportive of Michelle and all of the encouragement you have all extended and for keeping up with the blog! I am glad we could entertain you guys! Thanks again to everyone and we will be keeping all of you in our thoughts and prayers and hope to see you all again!
~Elizabeth
March 26th, 2007
Well, three down two more to go. We are almost home bound. Michelle is still feeling discomfort in her back due to the injection but otherwise is doing great. She has just two more IV injections to go. We had a pretty uneventul day. We just sat around our hospital room and started packing. There was a brief interruption when a patient or visitor threatened to jump off the twentieth floor, which is the floor we are on. No one is sure exactly how he managed to get on the roof and what floor he was on. It just goes to show you how just because we speak different languages and come from completely different cultures we are all still the same. We all have our ups and downs and when it comes down to it we often take our lives for granted. On a brighter note, I had so much fun watching Michelle try to get all of her clothes and souveniers into the suitcases! It doesn’t look good for the rest of the stuff I still have to pack! I am hoping my suitcase grows twice it’s size overnight. Tomorrow Michelle is off and so we are going to finish some last minute shopping and enjoy the time we have left here. It is always an adventure when we step outside of the hospital doors. This has definitely been an experience that I will never forget. We are both looking forward to coming home and especially partying with everyone on the 31st for my mom’s 40th birthday! We can hardly wait! So mom, I hope you are ready to do some major dancing on the bar with me and Michelle! We can’t wait to see everyone and to be back in the states! Hope everyone is doing good!
~Elizabeth
March 20th, 2007
Nothing new on the China front. Michelle is doing as well as can be expected after just recieving her final spinal injection. I will write more tomorrow on how she is feeling. I just wanted to do a quick shout out to my parents who are celebrating twenty-four years of marriage today! Sorry I am not there with you guys but, I hope you have a great day and congratulations mom for putting up with dad for so long! LOL! Anyways, Happy Anniversary and I love you guys!
~Elizabeth
March 19th, 2007
Okay…so Michelle and I went shopping today and definitely broke the bank! We bought so much stuff that it took us three trips from the taxi to our room! To tell you the truth, our suitcases really had no room for anything else when we arrived in China! I have no idea how we are going to get all of these things home. We are definitely going to have to pack things tight. We had such a great time even though it was freezing, rainy, and we got seperated from part of our group. You know you are good though when you can get to your desired destinations in a foreign country knowing only the phrases, “thank you” and “you’re welcome”. I can’t believe we only have a week left here. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and have had a pleasure staying at this facility whose staff is so kind and just the best people you will ever meet! I highly recommend,not only from a visitor’s standpoint but as a healthcare professional as well, this facility to anyone who is considering stemcell treatment here. The facility is very clean, well organized, and the staff is so eager to help and please. Michelle is doing so great! Just watching her maneuver herself through the crowd with heaping bags was amazing. I cannot wait until everyone back at home get to see her. Just seeing these small improvements over such a small period of time and knowing how much more will improve in the near future is so exciting and makes this trip worthwhile. We can hardly wait! I know Michelle is anxious to get home and be with her family and friends. Just a few more days! We would like to thank everyone who has kept up with our blog and sent Michelle warm wishes of encouragement! It has truly meant alot to her. I will be sure to write more tomorrow and keep everyone up to date on how Michelle’s third spinal injection goes. We have to get up very early tomorrow so I am going to go. Hope everyone has a great day!
~Elizabeth
P.S. Keep checking for more pictures at the website on our last blog entry. We are adding new pictures daily!
March 18th, 2007
So nothing too exciting has been going on. We just chilled in our room today and wrapped up the Friends dvd series. We have now moved on to Gilmore Girls. The weather here is awful! It has not stopped raining in over two days. Hopefully the weather clears up so we can enjoy our trip to Shanghai Sunday. Michelle is doing very well. I watched her do some therapy today and her balance and coordination have really improved! I can’t wait for everyone to see. She will be strutting her stuff in high heels in no time! Ordering dinner here never fails to make us laugh or want to upchuck what we eat. Michelle ordered some chicken which the translator compared to KFC for dinner and it could be said that they do not waste anything here in China. Not only did she get 2 legs, a breast, thighs and don’t forget the chicken head along with it’s neck! I’m not kidding. It was deep-fried beak eyes and all!! Good thing it wasn’t the first piece she bit into! It was too funny. Needless to say we pretty much lost our appetite after that! Not too much else has been going on here. Maybe something exciting will happen for the blog tomorrow! Wishing everyone the best!
~Elizabeth
P.S. You can look at all of our pics at this website—> http://new.photos.yahoo.com/pinky12584/album/576460762393666437
March 15th, 2007
Okay, sorry it’s been so long since the last blog entry. We had our shopping trip Sunday, Michelle’s injection on Monday, and yesterday we were feeling a little under the weather. First things first. Sunday was a lot of fun and really interesting. 2 vans full of patients and families and nurses went to Hangzhou and shopped in the traditional Chinese market. It was so much fun haggling with the merchants. I haggled for me and Michelle and got some very good deals I might add!
Monday Michelle recieved her second injection and it went alot better than last time. She was not asleep the medicine didn’t take effect so after talking to the doctors and getting the translators’ assistance, next time she is going to go down to the third floor and get anesthesia so she will be completely out to make the treatment alot less painful and easier on her nerves. She feels pretty good and is getting around alot better than last time. With every treatment and therapy session she seems to be getting stronger and have more control and confidence with every step she takes.
Today we went to Hangzhou even though it was raining cats and dogs outside. If I catch pneumonia, Mom, you can blame Michelle! She refused to stay in the room today! It was thundering and lightning like crazy so our umbrellas definitely came in handy. We brought along Pete, a swell kid from Wisconsin who is here with his cousin who is recieving treatment. We had a good time. We went to the hotel to get breakfast but got there too late and got lunch instead. Then we went into town and went shopping for name brand purses. Then we went to Starbucks! Which was superb. While I’m on the subject of superb, Michelle and I got a great massage today! Wendy arranged for 2 ladies from a massage parlor to come to our hospital room and give us an hour long massage. It was great! It cost 100 RMBs plus we each gave them an extra 10 RMBs which totalled approximately 13.89 USD a piece. I can’t speak for Michelle but have I mentioned that I LOVE China and may never come back? LOL Just kidding! Well, I am going to hit the sack and get some shuteye! I really hope all is well with everyone and will write more tomorrow!
~Elizabeth
March 14th, 2007
Saturday March 11, 2007
So Michelle is starting to feel better! We went to the grocery today. It was the first time we have been out of the hospital not to mention our room in 2 days. It felt good to get out. Going to the grocery is definitely an experience here! They definitely have a variety of selections to say the least. They really don’t sell anything that they do in America. Even the Lay’s brand potato chips are different here. Their flavors are like stir-fried chicken legs or finger licking good pork pieces or chinese grilled medley. I’m not making these up! I wish I were. I tried to find healthy foods for Michelle and I instead of eating her favorites coke and chocolate! The fruit here is super expensive. Cherries are 88 RMBs a pound. Which is like 10 USD per pound. The other fruit is really different than home and is all in Chinese so you don’t really know what you are getting. That’s pretty much like anything at the grocery store. You cannot buy milk here. Milk does come in powdered form however and is even more expensive than the fruit. They do sell yogourt which if you like eating aloe you’ll fit right in! Not to mention the hanging dried meat and freshly plucked whole chickens, beaks and all! Anyways, enough about crazy food, tomorrow we are gong to Hangzhou and WestLake with some other patients and family members to do some shopping and site seeing. The first place Michelle and I are stopping is at Starbucks. Hopefully it’s somewhat like it is in the states. Lol! Hope everyone is doing great!
~Elizabeth
March 14th, 2007
So today was pretty uneventful as far as crazy food and funny stories about our experiences while being out and about go. We stayed in today because, Michelle’s physical therapy and rehabilitation is very demanding and requires alot of her time and energy. She is kicking butt on the exercise bike thanks to Martin, her physical therapist. She had her physical therapy session in the morning and her rehabilitation session this afternoon followed by acupuncture, which she does not find too enjoying! It is pretty painful and leaves some major bruises. 
On a more upbeat note, she did get her three seconds of fame with Nightline! She got to do a formal, sitdown interview with a correspondent reporter from Nightline explaining her disease and symptoms as well as her experience thus far in China and getting her first stem cell injection. She was pretty excited to get the word out about Fredriech’s and how this type of treatment should be available in the United States. If you ask anyone who has recieved the treatment regardless of their disease they all agree. It is a shame that Americans or any nationality for that matter should have to travel such a long distance, not to mention being in a foreign country, to recieve treatment that is highly beneficial and crucial to their quality of life. I am not saying that sometimes it is not necessary to travel to another country for cutting edge treatment. I just feel that if the country in which you live has the capability, but refuses to make it readily available due to politics just assanine! Ok I am getting off my soapbox now…LOL! Tonight after the interview, we went out to this restaraunt that the reporter recommended. It was in this BEAUTIFUL hotel and was pretty close to food that we are more used to. It was fun. This was the first time that we went out at night and we really enjoyed ourselves. The city is breathtaking at night. Don’t worry everyone I haven’t drug Michelle to any nightclubs….yet! We miss everyone and love getting comments so keep it up! They give Michelle something to look forward to and makes her feel closer to home, not to mention gives me something to do! Hope everyone is doing well and we will be home before you know it!
(Hope there weren’t too many ! Dougie. In my defense I warned you in the title! Lots of love to ya Dougie…keep up that sarcastic attitude I miss it! There’s no one to banter with here. Michelle gives up too easily!)
~Elizabeth
March 7th, 2007
Ok, one down and three more to go! So far so good. The procedure was quite painful for Michelle but she’s a fighter! She tolerated the 6 hours of laying flat very well. She was in a lot of pain last night and had trouble resting. Despite that she awoke this morning feeling better than ever! She has SO much energy it’s amazing! She is currently feeling no numbness in her legs and she is feeling more sensation and her reflexes have improved slightly. The doctors were very impressed with how much better she is walking and standing. This is SO inspiring for her! She is feeling more confident with making the choice to come to China. I’m sorry you guys are missing how incredible she is doing! Just seeing how excited and energized she is it’s amazing! I have only had the pleasure of knowing her for a year, but I am telling you guys that seeing her today and how well she is feeling it just melts my heart!! I will be writing another blog later on tonight letting everyone know how she is feeling later and how crazy our day in town was! Seriously it is never a dull experience when we leave the hospital nor is it ever a dull experience with Michelle! LOL! Oh before I go I have to tell you about our food experiences yesterday! Because Michelle’s schedule was so packed yesterday we decided to order in and let me tell you trying to get food was an experience! We ordered this pizza from a Chinese restaraunt and it didn’t look that weird but, it wasn’t very tasty! Mine was ok it had peppers and onions on it with what I hope was ham but it had no sauce and was so greasy! Michelle’s was not too tasty either. It had all this meat on it and had a funny smell and was just plain weird. They sent us this crazy looking soup (if you want to call it that) with really weird meat that looked like brain particles in it…..ewww! Anyone that knows me knows that I will try anything once but, I drew the line when it came to the soup! Then Once she was permitted to eat and drink we decided to take what we thought was a safe bet as far as restaraunts go and order from Pizza Hut. We ordered a 12-inch pepperoni pizza with extra sauce on it. We got a 12-inch with ham, pepperoni, sausage, and some kind of deepfried meat and our extra sauce was packets of Heinz ketchup! I think what we have here is a failure to communicate! LOL Needless to say I got on the phone with Pizza Hut and talked to someone who barely spoke english but, ended up getting the right pizza finally 3 hours later! So we are definitely going out for lunch today. We aren’t taking any chances!
-Elizabeth
March 6th, 2007
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