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Tests Confirm It - Ampligen Works!

piano_fingers.jpg
I have waited 6 full months to be able to say this, and the day has finally arrived. So here it is: I know without a shadow of a doubt that Ampligen works. As I finish my 24th week of Ampligen, I can say with confidence that this amazing drug has performed "as advertised," and then some.

I know this not only because of the numerous physical and mental tests I take at the clinic that tracks my progress and improvement, but most importantly for me, I know Ampligen is working because of my own, secret test. Let me explain.

Over 6 months ago I arrived in this city after enduring a cold, cramped 16-hour overseas flight, barely able to walk from the plane to the baggage claim. My deterioration in health had gotten so bad I was barely able to get out of bed, so I came here as a last resort, leaving my home half a world away believing that this "experimental drug" called Ampligen was going to give me my life back.

Because of the flight, by the time we arrived at the hotel, I was really sick. Ears ringing, glutes and legs aching, all I could think about was getting into bed with the lights off. As we scuffled along to the elevators, we passed a baby grand piano in the lobby. With hope in her eyes, my wife asked me "do you want to play a few bars, sweetheart?" I shook my head no, and managed to mumble a weak, sad, "No. I really can't right now," and continued into the elevator. Had I had any surplus energy, I would have cried, seeing the look in my wife's eyes.

You see, until recently, no matter how sick I felt, my wife knew that I could always play the piano, and it would cheer me up. And cheer my wife up too. But over the past few months, even that joy was taken from me, as just sitting at a piano bench hurt my butt. And the act of thinking about chords hurt my head.

All of us who fight this disease have varying degrees of limitations as a result of our infirmity. By reason of the insidious nature of the viruses that activate and invade our brains and our central nervous systems, pleasures we used to enjoy are stolen. We're on the lower leg of Maslow's hierarchy of need, and survival occupies all of our energies, with the disease slowly but surely stripping away all the rest.

After a while, if you've been sick for years, you end up forgetting what "normal" life is. Gone are the days when we'd walk to the market. We no longer workout at the club, because exercise like that makes us pay big time the next day. We don't cook that favorite recipe anymore, because standing at a stove for that long is impossible. We don't play the piano anymore, because strangely, we can't remember the chords and our fingers have lost dexterity. Studies show the disease is actually eating up our brains, as evidenced by lesions.

That's what happened to me. The last time I tried to play one of my favorite Bossa Nova classics, a couple months before we came to the clinic, I couldn't get it together. I was in the wrong key, my mind was frazzled, I couldn't remember the chords. So I quit, frustrated. As I stepped away from the keyboard, I made a vow to myself. "If Ampligen works like they say it does, someday I'll be able to play this song again, without mistakes. THEN I'll know everything is going to be all right."

Because of the documentary film "The Buena Vista Social Club" I knew that music in the brain had a special "place" and that music memory, and finger memory could survive periods of inactivity.

In that awesome award-winning film by Wim Wenders, guitarist Ry Cooder tracks down an aging pianist in Havana named Ruben Gonzales, who was world-renowned before the revolution. But after Castro and communism took over, jazz clubs were closed, pianos were sold, and pianists like Ruben had to find work in other ways. In 1996 Cooder brings Gonzales to an old venue in Havana where there is still a working, almost in-tune upright piano. Because of Castro's prohibition and Gonzales' arthritis, it had been years since Ruben had played the ivories, and he looked tentative. But with Cooder's encouragment, Ruben sits down, places his weathered hands on the keys, and just starts playing like it was the 50's again. No mistakes. No hesitation. The voice over on the film goes on to say "Ruben played like that for hours, non-stop, as if nothing had changed."

It's been obvious to me over the past few weeks, that things have been improving greatly in my body. I walked 5 blocks to the market this afternoon. I am now back at the gym, doing exercise every day, and I'm able to stand at the stove and cook again.

Yesterday at the clinic they shared with me that all their tests showed I was making great improvement. From the results of my latest blood work, the physical exam, and numerous other tests, Gwen my nurse had no problem telling me that the Ampligen was working.

But I had one more secret test she didn't know about that was still pending.

Back at my apartment, turning on my vintage 1977 Fender Rhodes that I had shipped here on faith, I sat down on the hard stool, flicked on slight vibrato, closed my eyes, and felt the 9th chords by memory. Whether it was physical memory or muscle memory I can't be sure. All I know is, for the next 15 minutes, my aging fingers found enough of the right keys to musically and my soul warmed.

As I watched my own hands find chords and keys that just a few months before were evasive and confusing, I knew. My health was returning. The Ampligen was working.

Everything was going to be all right.

Comments

Congratulations, Kelvin! And great writing (as ever). I hope your improvement continues!
 
That's so great! I experienced similar improvement to yours, although I relapsed 4 years after stopping. How long are you going to continue your treatments? Thanks so much for your affirming bog posts!
 
Thanks friends.
My commitment was to give it a full year. I'm half-way there now. Another patient who has been at it just over a year is finishing up and heading back to Europe next month. She does full 12 hour days, Pilates, works a job here locally in fashion, and has been taking side trips sight seeing. She is my motivation, because they tell me when she arrived a year ago before Ampligen, she could barely walk.
LaurelW- Have you given thought to getting a "booster?" I'm told a few patients have done that with good success.
 
I would love to get a booster, Kelvin, but my doctor stopped doing it because it was costing the clinic too much money, and Hemispherx has some major problems they need to solve. In the meantime, I can't just pick up and move to Reno. How long of a booster did those patients get? It would help to know. Thanks!
 
. . . and may your piano playing forever warm your soul, just as you have done to ours with your outstanding news.
 
Kelvin,
That warmed my heart to think of piano playing, one of my old loves left behind years ago. I am overjoyed to hear this and to think of you sitting at the piano being trasformed by the music, it makes me cry.

Kristina
 
Wonderful! Unlocking those locked rooms of creativity in the brain is wonderful! Thank you for this post.
 
Great signs of returning good health, Kelvin. It must be so uplifting to return to music which you love.

Dare we hope that one day you can dance on the table tops as well :D?
 
What an inspiring blog! When is this drug going to be available to people???
 
Guess we all want the stuff now, BADLY!! Hope it won't remain as expensive...

Thx for reporting kelvin, nice writing indeed
 
is there any way we can tell who this treatment will work for apart from the R-Nase L tests which are not done in Australia?
Rgds Victoria
 
Hemispherx is doing a joint study with WPI where they are going back to the old study from 6-7 years ago and testing the stored blood samples for XMRV and seeing if it correlates with those who had the most improvement on Ampligen. They claim their data will be ready for analysis at the end of August. Maybe then we will know, and they will get around to having the new clinical trials that the FDA says they have to have before approving the drug. (Hoping, fingers crossed)
 
I am so inspired by this story that I have contacted Dr Lapps office and I could do trial there. Only prob is you need a negative ANA.
Mine was positive but considered clinically insignificant. When I called last night (australian time) I discussed with the coordintator all that I would need to do and it seems I would have to get there to be assessed for the trial and then wait 2-3 weeks. I can't usually get to my GP who is local so this is a big ask. I look forward to seeing results at end of August. Would appreciate any thoughts on the pros and cons of doing the trial (apart from the horendous cost).
 

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Kelvin Lord
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