Our Mexican Camino: Ending MS and Finding New Life: July 28, 2017: Day 250

Saturday, July 29, 2017

July 28, 2017: Day 250

The beauty of writing a blog, is to intentionally track progress. These last few weeks the progress Doug is making seemed so slow, but then today I could definitely see improvement. Friday was his last day with the physical therapist. She left a note with recommendations for exercises for Doug to practice. While I was making breakfast he started his exercises. Kerry wanted him to walk twice around our kitchen and dining room loop independently 3 times a day. He got out of his wheelchair by himself, holding the walker and started walking. I grabbed my phone to video his progress. He did really well. He was balanced, moving both legs, not dragging either one. He looked great.

Tonight I wanted to show him his progress. I found a video I had recorded before HSCT. You can see that he is now doing better than he was last October before we left for Puebla. It was really surprising. Of course it is important to realize that his skills fluctuate depending on the time of day. However it really looks like he is making progress.

Doug's wheelchair that folds broke and would not fold down. His tire also started coming apart. I ordered a wheel and parts to fix the mechanism that allows it to fold. I thought I would have to do all the work myself trying to figure out how to fix it. For the first time in a long time, Doug helped me. He was able to figure out some things that I could not. Many years ago this would have been an easy fix for him. But these past few years his thinking and communicating has been much less clear. Things that were easy for him he can no longer do. He also has had problems seeing. Today, his eyes seemed good and he was able to think through what needed to be done. It took us at least 3 hours to fix the chair. He helped me the full time, never having to stop because he was too tired. He has not done this for quite a while.

By all appearances, it looks like the HSCT is working. Up and until now Doug has been recovering from the poly-neuropathy. Now it looks like he is showing improvement from the MS. Those new stem cells are working. Praise God!

God of Healing, we give thanks for the improvements that Doug continues to make. Doug's greatest hope is to walk again. Today we saw the first signs that his walking independently may be a possibility. We are filled with delight and hope. We pray the progress continues and that one day he will be walking with minimal or no aide. In your name we ask it. Amen.

No comments:

Post a Comment

About Doug

Fr. Doug Yarbrough was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2008. Although judging from his MRI scans he probably had it for many years prior to his diagnosis. Since the diagnosis he has experienced continuous progression of the disease resulting in more and more disability.

Today he is dependent on an electric wheelchair to get around outside of his home. At home he uses a walker to walk short distances. His eyes loose focus easily and he cannot read. This is difficult for someone who has always been a voracious reader and life long learner. He experiences extreme fatigue. Most days it is all he can do to just take care of his own personal needs. We are grateful he can do that and fear the day that he will loose these skills. But with the progression of this disease that day may not be far off.

This is not the person Fr. Doug has always been. Many will remember him as an active member of his family, church, community and state. He is an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church. As a priest and community leader he has been a passionate crusader working on behalf of the poor, the abused, the homeless and minorities. He has been a husband, a father and a grandfather. He has always been the person who helps others.

Fr. Doug is a learner and believes in education to serve the common good. He has a B.A. in Education and Philosophy, a Master's in Counseling and a Master's in Religion. He has a doctorate in Educational Psychology. His education nurtured his thirst for learning, to make God known to the world and to serve others in the example of Christ. His favorite Bible passage is from Micah 6:8. In the New English Language Version of the Bible it reads "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" These words have framed his work in the church and the world.

In 2005 he was awarded the Canyon County Humanitarian Award for his contributions, care and concern for the most needy and marginalized people in Canyon County. He chaired the Nampa Shelter Coalition board and was on this board for many years. He also served for many years on the Nampa Family Justice Center and the Idaho State Domestic Violence Boards. He founded the Open Arms Baby Boutique in Nampa. This is a resource center for low-income women. The women earn points for prenatal and postnatal check-ups. They may then trade the points in for diapers, baby clothes, furniture, etc. He was on the "Success by Six" Treasure Valley committee. Fr. Doug served on the Mercy Hospital Ethics Board. All this he did while pastoring a church and serving on many church boards and committees.

After many years of service, Fr. Doug is now in need of your help. He is in the fight of his life to stop the progression of this horribly debilitating disease. Up until now, there has been little hope, but upon returning from a pilgrimage of prayer for healing we learned of a new stem cell treatment that some are calling a cure. This treatment is HSCT (Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant). Using this treatment the patient's own stem cells are harvested, then the patient's immune system is killed using chemotherapy and then the patient's own stem cells are transplanted back into their body. It works similarly to a reboot of a computer. The immune system is being rebooted. This treatment is in Clinical Trials in the United States, but in other places in the world it is being used as a treatment for MS. Worldwide data shows that more than 80% of MS patients receiving this treatment see an end to the progression of the disease and many see a reversal in disability. The brain is able to heal from the bodies own attacks on the myelin insulating sheath around that surrounds nerve fibers

Unfortunately HSCT treatment is expensive and not yet covered by insurance. To get this treatment he will have to travel outside of the country. To help pay for this treatment family and friends of Father Doug are raising money to help pay for uninsured medical expenses associated with HSCT (HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT) to halt the progression of his Multiple Sclerosis. We don’t have time to wait for Clinical Trials in the US. Fr. Doug is rapidly progressing in disability from this disease. We have to act now if we are to save and hopefully improve the quality of Fr. Doug’s life. We have a goal of October 15, 2016 to raise all the money needed. This is the earliest possible date that the treatment may be available.

Fr. Doug has chosen to fund-raise with HelpHOPELive in part because HelpHOPELive assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for donors. Donors can be sure that funds donated will be used only to pay for unreimbursed medically related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Donate Now button.

For more information, please contact HelpHOPELive at 800.642.8399.

Thank you and God Bless you for your help!

Saturday, July 29, 2017

July 28, 2017: Day 250

No comments:

Post a Comment

Blog Archive