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Cartaze H. Ragland -spinal cord injury (USA)

Cartaze had received 2 cycles of stem cell treatments done by Dr. Li Ke Wu and Dr.Xiaojuan Wang, after the treatment, he was stronger than before, and he had made obvious improvements. .

Name: Cartaze H. Ragland

Sex: Male

Country: USA

Age: 25

Diagnosis: Spinal Cord Injury (Cervical segments).

Beginning of treatment: July 17, 2007

Medical history before treatment:

One night as Cartaze was heading home from a friend's house; he fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed his car into a tree. The injuries he sustained resulted in paralysis from the chest down. Doctors at home were not at all optimistic about his condition and not even physical therapy was made available to him. Cartaze, however still had hope of some improvement and decided to come to China for stem cell treatment.

From the time of Cartaze's accident until his arrival to Beijing, Cartaze had been confined to a bed. On arrival to Beijing, it was discovered that he had developed large bedsores and sheet burns on both his legs which had become seriously infected. Because of this, he had suffered third degree burns on the lower parts of his legs. Since he had lost sensation due to the accident, he was unable to feel that the injury was so severe.

On arrival to China, the muscles in both hands and his legs had wasted away and the joints of his fingers and wrists were rigid. This meant that doing chores was extremely difficult for him and he needed much assistance with his daily life activities. The motor range of his shoulders was also limited; he could not lift his arms higher than his head. While the muscles in his arms were very weak, there was also no strength in his leg-muscles, making it impossible for Cartaze to walk by himself. He could not move his legs at all, even with effort.

After treatment:

Cartaze noticed an improvement very soon after he arrived, the burn wounds and the bedsores healed and the infection which had spread over a large percentage of his body was treated. After recovery from his disease, he felt that he was stronger than before. After his second stem cell implantation, the muscles in his hands, arms and legs became stronger than before and he was able to do more things for himself. He can now move the right hand freely. The muscles in his wrist and fingers are stronger than before and the wrist joints and shoulder joints are not as rigid as they were. His motor range is wider than before; he can lift his arms and do a circular movement easily. The fingers can move in a more flexible way than they could before, making it easier for him to lift a cup and drink or put his glasses on. Now he can type on the computer with his little finger. After the stem cell treatment, he had more sensation in his body; before, he only had some sensation in his legs when they were hit quite hard, but now he also has sensation when, for example, the doctor changes the dressing for him. Even though he still can not stand up, he can move his legs and feet a little on his own.

Cartaze has now been at the hospital twice for treatments and feels he is improving greatly each time he is here. During physical therapy he is making great progress and can move himself around more freely than before. He also has sensation when he urinates or has bowel movements. In his legs and feet, his muscles can now contract. Cartaze has strong hope that he will walk again someday soon.

After they had gone back to the USA, his mother sent us several emails updating us on his condition:

"Cartaze can feed himself with his right hand; I am so happy that I made the trip to get help for Cartaze. I am really thankful for the improvements and the progress he is making, hopefully we will be back next year."

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October 26, 2007

"Cartaze is getting stronger, he can catch his basketball between his wrists, his right thumbs bend a little, his legs are healing real well, and the heels are practically healed."

January 07, 2008

"Cartaze can hold his balance when I put him in a sitting position; he was not able to do so a few weeks ago. Also Cartaze is able to move his pointer finger now."

January 24, 2008

"Cartaze is coming along really good, with the bed raised-up, he can push himself into a sitting position and hold his balance for quite awhile, he is really getting strong, and his legs are still moving a lot."

November 16th, 2008

"Dr. Xi: My legs, feet, toes, and my bottom, the tingling or sensation is getting stronger...I can't move them yet, but I can still feel it when I try to move them... The other day I was sitting in the wheelchair, and my leg stood straight out by itself. My fingers have been moving a lot, but I don't know if they are moving by themselves..."

December 6th, 2008

"He is still having improvements. He has some feelings in his feet now. Also he is able to feel his stomach muscles below the injury now."

February 8th, 2009

"Cartaze is having new feelings with his body: he is itching, in groin area he is having feeling, he really is feeling in his heels now, his fingers are more flexible, more grasp, and he is still having a lot of leg movements more up and down. "

October 30th, 2009

"Cartaze is having quiet a lot of new improvements, he is having intense sensation on his low back and buttock's, when I wash him at times he will jump and ask me what I am doing . His grasping is much better , he can hold small things which he could not do before, he can hold a can when drinking juice and he can even use a lighter and he can even stike matches, he canplay the WII, boxing, football, etc. with control, balance has improvement".