Amanda Boxtel is such an inspiration to us all. She is such a strong, encouraging woman. Please read below a little about her and her daily life.

I am a 39 year old paraplegic woman who underwent Human Embryonic Stem Cell (HESC) Treatment with Dr. Geeta Shroff in Delhi, India from June 25-August 17, 2007. During my two month visit, I not only witnessed astounding improvements in my own body, but with many patients who have life restored within their bodies and a newfound reason to not give up but live! I am compelled to share my experiences with the world. After fifteen and a half years of being in a wheelchair my toes are moving, my bladder and bowels are beginning to function again, I have increased muscle power in my legs, and hope is now a part of my vocabulary!

Want to know more about Amanda, visit her website at amandaboxtel.worldpress.com.

 

See Amanda on YouTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VeyWtS60Dc

 

UPDATE!!

Amanda walked for 45 min today on the Alter-G-Machine!!! Today July 10, 2009!

Email is my connection to this world, to my friends at home and beyond, and to my global network of blog-followers. I cherish every email I receive and while I may not always reply I read each and every note of love, support, and endorsement for the journey I am undertaking. Gratefully, Nu Tech Mediworld now has a communal computer and printer in the lobby to access internet. Finally I am able to download YouTube Videos from the faster internet line. When attempting to reply to emails from my room, they have been lost in oblivion so I apologize to all who haven’t had a response from me. The hospital signal has also been too weak to Skype. It’s been a waiting game. My patience was tested once again with living in a huge metropolis that is surviving on the fringes of technology. I have contradictory feelings of gratitude that well in me for the blessed life I live in America and all the modern conveniences available to me at a mere finger touch away. I take so much for granted. India always makes me present and forces me to live moment by moment, which is what I aspire to do anyway. This is my teaching. I surrender. PART ONE The Week that has Trumped All Weeks in India! It was bound to happen. I have a flat tire! Two hours later I’m still sitting on a sheetless bed with my computer poised on my lap tapping away at the keys. It’s perfect writing time. In lieu of another hospital dinner, Mum is preparing a Mary-Jane-organic-backpacking-meal-in-a-bag named Chillimac. Pour hot water in, stir, wait ten minutes and voila. Sounds like a typical Chinese take away order: “Ten minute. Wait ten minute!” no matter what you choose. Mum is convinced she’s got “impending” diarrhea—meaning that the queasy tummy, lack of energy and wobbles is symptomatic. She had a stem cell infusion today, which wiped her out. The reason being is that live embryonic stem cells try to survive in the body, which in turn depletes energy especially when administered in massive doses. It could be likened to Mum and I being pregnant. I am now having an afternoon nap each day. My tire has arrived repaired and inflated. Phew. Raul from reception was stellar. He is my superman right now! I can now make my bed with freshly washed sheets fully mobile once again. How do I even begin to surmise this past week? In a nut shell Mum called it a nightmare. The day before Mum’s arrival an unknown thing (we think it was an insect) bit my pinkie finger. In a matter of minutes it swelled like a grape throbbing with pain. I was Nu Tech Mediworld’s rare emergency case, which necessitated four nurses and a doctor all sitting watching my hand (for two hours) to see if anything else was going to puff up. My instant remedy was wait, see what else happens, swallow an antihistamine pill, and paste on some magic ointment. Nothing else happened! By the next morning the swelling decreased but my finger had turned black and blue. That night my body went into shivery cold sweats. Why? I still have no clue? “India” is a good enough answer. Just “India”! After Mum’s arrival, the course of events spiraled downward and upward and then to the pits of hell with a lumbar puncture procedure that took me to death’s door and back—all for very good reasons might I add. I am keeping the end result in mind…improvement and renewed strength, increased muscle power and perhaps more sensation. Mum’s migraine and vomiting episode thankfully lasted one evening. By morn she was set to take on her care giving role for her baby girl. Like I’ve said before, thank God for Mum! I had a successful caudal spinal procedure, lay on my back for four hours, and felt stronger the next three days. My strength was so good I walked in my new leg braces from the therapy room to the injection room on the basement floor, into the elevator and up to my humble quarters on the second floor—a first! Trapped in the Elevator—STANDING! On the third day of practicing my endurance marathon walking to my second floor room, the elevator doors closed, the lift moved, jolted, and then BLACKED OUT! We were STUCK IN THE ELEVATOR trapped in between floors with me standing up holding on to a walker, Chavi on one side and Mum across from me with no wheelchair in sight. OMG! “Hello. Hello!” called Chavi. (In Hindi speaking super fast with a slight panic in her voice)… “We’re stuck in the lift!” Chavi proceeded to make a phone call from her mobile to alert the staff to jump into action. In her petite 4’11” frame she took charge. When I’m standing next to her at 5’7” I feel like a giant. Mum and I broke into laughter at the absurdity of the moment. I remained cool until Chavi blurted out a horror story from a movie called Final Destination, which neither Mum nor I have seen. Chavi’s voice raised a few more decibels…or maybe it was the echo in the lift shaft. She concluded her story. “And the lady’s hair was caught in the elevator doors as they closed. She was pulled. Her head was caught on one side and her body on the other. And then she was decapitated in between floors!” End of story. After approximately ten minutes the elevator inched downwards towards the basement, the doors opened and we were free. Chavi’s remark as we exited the lift was, “Seriously Amanda, you should see the movie. It’s really a good one.” Meeting Vivek—a ray of light…and my last supper! To culminate our Thursday Mum and I were invited to dinner by a very charming Indian man named Vivek. He flew in for one night from Bangalore so we seized our opportunity to dine at Punjabi by Nature, an elegant Indian restaurant in the Priya Complex at Vasant Vihar. Vivek greeted Mum and me with a bouquet of yellow and pink flowers like a true Indian gentleman. Our table sat across from a trickling wall of water and chefs in tall white hats prepared food from the kitchen above, which we could see upstairs behind glassed walls. Vivek was introduced to me via email by a new friend named Tom Tuohy who created a non-profit called Dreams for Kids (www.dreamsforkids.org). The organization has a global outreach and Vivek has chosen to volunteer to coordinate an annual Holiday for Hope in December for poverty stricken children of all abilities to enjoy a Christmas gift giving celebration of sorts. Vivek’s passion was contagious—a man after my own heart. I could relate…and will strive to keep in touch and involved in some capacity. Two and half hours later and with full bellies, Mum and I embraced Vivek and wished him a loving farewell. We slept hard naively unprepared for the nightmarish four days ahead of us.