credulus non sum
Skepticism is merely doubt. It is worthless without the ability to review all available information and examine it critically. When you remove those skills and abilities, you become nothing more than a cynic or a preacher with an agenda.
Gap, you know I love ya, but I don't think it's right for you to be spamming these links (you have already posted them earlier in the thread.) Many of us have already reviewed that information. I'm not saying there isn't a place for it, but it isn't here; at least not when it's already been mentioned and thoroughly discussed.
I know you mean well and that you may think it is being helpful but I would politely disagree with at least the second part. If you are interested in learning more about the Stem Cell treatments we are receiving in Panama (or about SC therapy in general), I encourage to read through this thread. Yes, it's 63 pages long, however, that is plenty of time and space where I can guarantee you that legitimate concerns have been raised and addressed throughout. And of course, to really get a grasp on it all, it will take much more research from external sources. It's a little insulting to the rest of us who have already done all that.
As for the rest of you - I plead for you to not resort to personal attacks, as it only exacerbates the situation. I would also like to request (if we cannot do so ourselves) that an admin to sort this out in the manner suggested earlier in this thread. (Gap, I believe there is always a place for what you are posting, but I do not believe that here within this thread is one of them.)
Oh... by the way, for anyone who might be wonderng, I am doing fine here in Panama. :Retro smile: Results from the therapy itself have yet to be seen (as external benefits can take up to 3 months or longer to notice), however, I can honestly say my experience down here has been quite exceptional.
I refer not just to the lovely Panamanian weather and scenery, but my exeperience with the clinic and it's personnel. I won't go into many details at this point, but I can tell you that there hasn't been a single person I have met on their staff who wasn't extremely kind, knowledgeable, and down to earth. I even got to meet and have a pleasant conversation with Neil Riordan who happened to be in the office yesterday as I was receiving my second infusion. (He just finished getting his furniture and equipment over the border from CR to Panama and is starting to begin his transition to living and moving his SC operations over here.) If you want to talk down to earth, there's your man.
Again, while I cannot speak for the treatment itself yet (the proof is in the pudding), I have been thoroughly impressed by clinic itself as well as it's staff. As for the procedures themselves, both the intrathecal and especially the infusions have been very quick and "painless" (informal sense... naturally the needles have a bit of a sting to them... as, you know, needles tend to. :Retro wink
I've also had no adverse reactions aside from a mild headache the night of receiving my intrathecal, but I do not know whether was caused by the puncture or the fact that I took a two and a half hour nap mid-afternoon when I got back (something that tends to normally give me headaches these days.)
Anyway, my old man is currently taking a tour of their lab facilities (something that they plan to do regularly in the future for patients and their families who may be interested.) Now I am going to take Molly's suggestion and go back to resting before I receive my second to last infusion in a couple hours.
Yours truly,
Ben
edit: My Dad just came back from the tour. Surprisingly, they allowed him to take photos of the med lab as they explained the processes of how they store, culture and transport the MSC and CD34+ cells. According to my old man, "The lab is housed in an old US Army base and is unimpressive from the outside. Inside, however, it is immaculately clean with state of the art equipment. The director of the lab showed us around, was very knowledgeable and answered any and all questions we had, and allowed me to freely take pictures with your [my] camera."
