The faith we have in Jesus led Preston and I together, showing us the way to Costa Rica.
After listening to all the physicians here, we feel the ICM clinic is ahead of the world in their treatments. They virtually know the stem cell clinics across the world. Several confide in ICM to manage their own clinic.
One of the first physicians hired here was from the China clinic, but he was terminated because of his lack of patient care. These physicians are cutting edge, as are the two treatments they're trying on us that have never been tried before.
The doctors were 100 percent confident the treatments would work but refused to try it on any patients until the right ones came in. Then Preston and I arrived and happen to catch the three main physicians and the owner, who has a doctorate in biology and years of in-depth work in cells.
It was the opportunity to push them.
This push to them came to me in a prayer two weeks before we left. So in our impromptu first day meeting I asked if they have something new they wanted to try. I could see the face of the owner; his wheels were churning, but he really did not say much.
So I pushed a second time, stating that we are available for you to try an extended or more intense treatment, for this would not only help us but other future patients as well. So then I looked at Preston and he gave me an OK nod. Give Preston credit; he is here with me to help others for the long haul.
I know the owner was thinking, "Who is this old nursing home administrator guy volunteering me into unknown treatments with people I just met. I know he has MS but he is also crazy."
I gave it a third try: I told them we are here to receive a stem cell treatment but are offering ourselves for your experimental treatments.
By now the physicians are silent, thinking so deeply on what may lay ahead and how to make it work. So I gave them the clincher.
I looked the owner square in his eyes and told him, "The only thing stopping you is you."
That was it. He started talking to us about the fat-derived stem cells that would be extracted out of our bodies, cleaned many different ways for five days and re-introduced back into our bodies with other chemicals, injecting us with 60 million stem cells. If successful this would shut down the overly active immune cells.
One of the physicians said, "I don't see how it can't work."
I looked at Preston; again he told us OK.
The physicians started talking on how to proceed with this. A new treatment was developed and another one revised so we could have both during our 13-day stay. We offered to stay longer if needed.
The owner said let's see if we can make this work in the time you are here.
So this is how this immune stem cell treatment was developed and 10 doses of intrathecal stem cell injections in 5 administrations.
Both had never been tried before, according to the ICM clinic owner, who has his hand on the pulse of stem cell clinics and hospitals worldwide.
This did not happen by luck. God led us, so we simply listened and followed. Really nothing more.
In Him,
Richard
