Richard Humphries, who also underwent stem cell therapy in Costa Rica along with Sgt. Preston Walker, gives his perspective on questions raised in today's Star-Telegram story about people traveling to other countries for such treatment:
I went with Preston Walker to ICM Costa Rica. In fact it was my wife who found the location. Preston has seen great improvements and myself even more. I have a few answers to a lot of questions.
Considering stem cell therapy?
Answers
1. The owner of the ICM clinic, Dr Neil Riordan Phd. who is originally from Kansas, is probably more of an expert than anyone else in the US. He personally has numerous studies that can be easily found.
2. ICM is keeping scientific evidence that different treatments work for different diseases. The clinic and the results are in the US @ the University of California in San Diego.
3. Measurements are ongoing as the results roll in. All studies no matter where in the world take time. MS patients like Preston and I did not have time to waste because of the progression
4. Depending on the disease dictates where the injections go. He is even treating Crohns with grand success.
5. The source and only source for the regular stem cell treatment is from the umbilical cord blood which carries about 300,000 stem cells. They have a process called expansion that regenerate these cells into millions in a very short period of time.
6. Through their vast knowledge.
7. Risks are very minimal. The very small percentage of patients that have issues are nerve bruising at the spinal cord site but goes away in about 24 hours. Preston had this but I did not that. There are no side effects, how can there be? We as humans are composed of stem cells and if they body rejects it, it is simply eliminated out of the body. PERIOD! It is not a drug. Some have side effects from every single medicine but not with stem cells.
8. They have had a few medical issues although minor. The patients are taken care of at CIMA hospital which is also used for the injections. The hospital that is American owned from physicians in Dallas, is cleaner and more sterile than hospitals in the states. As a former Nursing Home Administrator, when we would send the nursing home patients to the hospital more times than not come back with staph infections. That is not an issue there. Dr. Riordan personally overviews every patient daily to make sure the issue is cleared up. He also pays ALL of the bills. Can we say that in the US. NO.
9. All of his physicians are MD's. No DO's. One is from the US and another who was trained in Costa Rica came to the US and passed all the boards. Dr. Lara personally handles all the stem cells. He speaks English, Spanish, and German.The bedside manners and care is better than what we receive here.
10. What are your rights if you are injured. Basically the same as the US.
11. The cost vary from 20-30K depending on your acuity. I was paying that in co-pay every 18 months.
12. ICM without questions. I hope I have answered your questions and hope you publish this truth. Readers should know.
Here are my results:
Before After
spasticity 70% improved
fatigue 70%
cognition 80%
pain (tremendous 24/7) minor
fog lifted
seizures (623)zero
hearing improved
numbness 80%
I could not feel my hands and feet before and now all of my hands and most of my feet. Things are still a little difficult in the mornings but as the day goes I get better for several hours. I no longer use my cane. I still can't go for more than 4-5 hours without a good rest but it beats tied to the bed and my chair 24/7 which is where I was the three weeks before we left last May. In the three weeks I took 147 Vicodin, 147,000 mg of Ibuprofen and the same of Aspirin and again in Tylenol just hoping for 20-30% relief in pain.
On Feb. 15-28th I return to Costa Rica for another treatment. ICM will be trying two new experimental treatments. One includes using the stem cell CD 133+ that was proven in Israel last Dec. to improve inner ear nerve hair growth. Since MS robbed my hearing we will now try a concentration of this stem cell to see what it can do. It was included in our original stem cell treatment and I have had to have my hearing aids turned down 4x.
Sincerely, Richard
