Day 2 Update from Jamie

Day 2...Mom with Dr. Karam and Jamie

Today has been an informative day. We traveled about 10 minutes from the hotel to Dr. Karams office in New Mexico, where he discussed with us the results of Mom's muscle biopsy. He showed us the changes in moms cells that are different from "normal cells". He also showed us in the cells how much cadmium is in her body...a lot! (Cadmuim is a toxic element, and we have no idea why Mom has so much in her.)  Dr. Karam is going to be sending Mom's samples to Emory University to be examined by toxic metal experts who will hopefully identify where mom may have gotten this type of exposure and advise her as to treatment. They are also going to test Mom and Dad's hair tomorrow. Hair samples can help determine if the exposure has been recent since it holds information for about 2 years.  If it is present in Dad as well, it will tell us that it is a recent, possibly ongoing exposure (ie. something in their house or water).  If it is not present in Dad, it can be assumed that her exposure was years ago. Did these metals cause ALS or ALS cause the metal toxicity to be expressed??   We don't know. Either way this is very mysterious and Dr. Karam is very interested in getting to the bottom of this. That being said...our goal right now is to slow the progression of this disease by this stem cell therapy and removing the metals by chelation when Mom gets home. Tomorrow, we head back to Juarez. There I will go into the treatment room with mom and a couple of doctors while they poke and prod at mom and together decide where to inject these stem cells. The injections should take about 45 minutes. Then back in the hyperbaric chamber where my mom and dad can spend some quality time together...wink wink! LOL
Please pray for a painless day for my mother tomorrow and a steady hand for the doctors that will be working with her. Also pray for wisdom for these doctors as they investigate the cause of the heavy metals in Mom and determine her future treatments.
Love
Jamie