Saw this on Instapundit, and I agree. Faster please!
Scientists have found a way to reconnect severed spinal cords in rats, allowing them to regain bladder control–a major accomplishment that could one day help humans with similar nervous system injuries recover lost abilities.
Many people think that the only thing spinal cord injuries cause is paralysis. Wrong! It also affects bodily functions like bowel and bladder control. If I had to choose between walking or peeing normally, I would take the peeing. It sucks having to ram a catheter up my willie to take a pee.
Spinal cord nerves do not regenerate in mammals. They do in reptiles. And now medical science is achieving that ability in rats. Some people think I’m a rat.
The scientists intend to continue their research, next trying their method on older spinal cord injuries. After enough testing, they might be able to use the technique on humans. But, that is a long ways off, and the scientists seem humble enough to recognize that fact.
Unfortunately, it will be a long way off. So far they have only succeeded in new spinal cord injuries. Because of the way the nervous system works, it will be much harder with old injuries since there will be scar tissue to overcome and the fact that the nerves die below the injury. Too late for me, but there is hope for people injured in the future. Within the next 20 years I expect some major breakthroughs, including nanotechnology to rewire the nervous system.
I’m a c5 – c6 and have to have someone stick a finger up my ass to take a shit.
I don’t see how gays enjoy themselves.
I get to stick my own finger in my ass to crap!
I’m so sorry that paralyzed people suffer just to perform basic human functions. I’m glad that there is hope for the future.
I’m sure that they could move straight into human tests. I know several people who would volunteer even if it meant risking death. I can think of nothing worse than loosing my evacuatory abilities.
PS I just made up evacuatory. Or at least Spell Check thinks I did. While I’m slowly loosing the use of my legs, I’m sure the cancer will kill me before I need a cath or worse.
T11-L2 spinal cord tumors here, with a mild dose of prostate cancer. Yeah, I was thoroughly tired of catheters before I got that function back. FINALLY managed to wean myself off of FlowMax and Neurontin.
I consider myself lucky to get off as light as I did, only one leg partially paralyzed and the left one at that, so I can still drive.
Still, I’d give serious consideration to being a lab rat for something like this.
My sympathy for your plight Denny, but I admire your attitude. You’re probably correct that these new techniques most likely won’t be available in time for you . . . and at least part of that is due to overzealous FDA.
Yet it is also amazing the kind of progress being made in treating nerve damage. Here’s hoping they are able to keep it up. another reason to repeal obummercare!
Best Regards,
Yeah, too late for me also. Getting near my 42nd year with a T12-L2 injury. Aging and disability combined are more like multiplying factors than adding factors. Many folks much worse off than me though so I keep my complaints to political problems mostly. “Damn obama”. There, I feel better.
Can you imagine the kinds of medical miracles we could have had if all of that money wasted on Global Warming and Green Energy had gone to medical research? It just goes to show you that Stupid is expensive.
Amen.
C-5 C-6. Just had the disc removed, and a plate installed. I don’t have so much a problem starting as stopping. Its so great to wake up in the middle of the night, use the bathroom, them spen an hour getting the dribble to stop. Ironically, it was the other way prior to my surgery. Hadn’t gotten to the point of a cath, but man it was close. The other issue I’ve had since the surgery is that it feels like some one is pressing a finger onto my throat. hard to swallow, noticable when taking a deep breath. its constant, never goes away.