Moscow, where the magic is going to happen ...

Well ... when I found out about HSCT I read a lot, A LOT about it. I have been researching for a better treatment for MS when I was first prescribed an MS drug by my Neurologist. He told me one of the side effects was brain cancer, or it could cause death ... I first thought, what are the odds of that happening to me !! But then I thought .. wtf !! So you're telling me I have a 2% chance of it working. And by saying 'working' you really mean slowing down the progression. Wow ... so .... it's not really going to help the inevitable. If I'm lucky it will just slow it down .. mhhh ... let me keep thinking about it. 

So I kept reading, surfing the internet, looking everywhere. I read about many stem cell treatments and even though I read they sounded kind of bogus 'ish', they weren't cheap .. and after 6 months people seemed to have to go through it again, and pay lots of thousands of dollars again .. mhhh .... let me keep thinking. But I couldn't find anything better. 

Up comes March Break (schools are on a week break) my husband and I randomly think of taking our children for a road trip and drive all the way to Disney in Florida (I'm talking of a two-day-drive-if-we-do-it-fast type of trip). Wohooo !!! .. I think, may as well do this when I can. One of those nights that everyone is tired out and I have nothing better to do, yes, you guessed it, I kept reading on the internet. And come across a group on Facebook talking about HSCT. HSCT stands for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Treatment. I'm not going to lie to you, when I heard it involved chemo it scared me a little. I remember thinking .. oh boy, this is serious treatment. After many MANY silly questions to the Adm/Guru/Scientist/super patient man that started this group, based in science and actual facts, I have to confess chemo is the last of my worries. Chemo is necessary to erase these bad cells that cause MS. And the sooner you do it, the better results you may have. MHHH ... and I kept thinking about it .. not for too long. It just made total sense to me. HSCT is giving me 80% of halting my disease. Stopping it. 80%. There's also the chance to revert or improve some of your current symptoms. But hey !! 80% chance of just staying like this. I still move around, are independent, no one is helping me to go to the bathroom or have a shower. It ain't pretty, I'm not saying that, but I'm still me. 80%. I'll take it !!

I say some days it isn't a pretty sight to see how I get some things done. I manually help my left leg to get into those pants ... or kick my left foot on the wall to get that (slide on awesome) shoe ... or everytime I get in the car I grab my left leg and put it in so I can hop in. I found a very great way to get the laundry baskets up and down the stairs. When I go up, I carry it and put it on every second step and go up the two steps. To come down .. easy, just do the same backwards !! Brilliant, right ? I discovered this 'technique' (I'm going to call it that way) when my youngest one was still a baby. Walking down the stairs with her in my arms (like every Mom has done it forever) it just didn't seem safe enough .. my balance was getting crappy and didn't want to fall down with a baby in my arms. So, I started going down the stairs backwards, baby on left arm and holding onto the railing with my right. Simply awesome. Checked. The children did kind of laugh at the beggining but as they always do, they got used to it and that's how Mum does it. Period. No more questions asked.

Anyway .. totally out of topic ... but that's how I found about HSCT. I guess it's not for everyone, it's hardcore, and tough on your body. I will loose my hair but hey !! I've lost my dignity so many times too .. and that doesn't stop me either .. hahhahaa. It's been said the recovery is like a roller coaster but seriously, I've been through so much, that this doesn't scare me either. I'll have to sleep and wash my hands a lot when I come back. Eat healthy and avoid getting colds from my children .. I can do that too !! But the benefits could be so much greater that it's totally worth the try. And I'll give it my best.

Anyway .. under 5 months to go now. 

This is where the magic will be done ...

Pirogov Hospital in Moscow

Dr. Fedorenko

Anastasia

Now the landscape of the Hospital might be covered still in snow by the time I go. But the people, the doctor and nurses will be the same. Everyone that has been there can only say good things about them. Dr. Fedorenko smiles and cries with you. He really wants to heal you. Which, let me tell you ... it's a blessing to know. Anastasia has been working with him for months now. She was once his patient with MS going for HSCT herself. Look at her, gorgeous, happy, a bubble of energy as many people say. I could put so many other pictures, but this is what sums it all up. I should have found more pictures of the nurses too. Most of them do not speak any english but will try their best to understand your needs.

And then, there's the other patients that will share my journey. And their families/careers that go with them. I'm sure I'll meet some Australians that have flooded Moscow lately in search of this treatment. I have met so many wonderful people already. Finding HSCT has been a blessing in itself. I've been making bonds without looking for them. I've made friends. I've followed others' journeys through this. I wish them all the best. I thank each one of them for letting me peak on what they are going through. I've also met other people like me, on the way, to Moscow and other facilities that offer this. It's exciting.

By the way, HSCT is currently in Clinical Trials in Canada. Dr. Freedman is in charge of it in Ottawa. Sadly I'm too well (their words) for this at the moment. They are treating people out of the Study but the requirements are very strict. It might be 10 years until is widely available for Canadians. It's also in Clinical Trials in the US, England, and Australia. It is going to happen, just not soon enough for me and for many seeking this treatment.

I hope this information makes you feel closer to what I'll go through. I hope someone with MS will feel intrigued in HSCT and read about it. 

:)