Man notices more strength, better balance after surgery

Most people wouldn't see an immediate difference in his appearance, but Jim Trickey and his wife, Brandy, know that a Chinese medical procedure has changed how his Lou Gehrig's disease manifests itself.

Trickey, of Cape Girardeau, had a cell implant about three weeks ago in China in hopes of slowing the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. There is no cure for the muscular disorder that eventually leads to paralysis.

Doctors drilled two small holes in the top of Trickey's head, near his frontal lobe, and inserted thousands of cells from the olfactory bulbs of aborted fetuses.

The surgery is primarily done on spinal cord and ALS patients and is performed in Beijing. There are similar trials in the United States, but the medical community is far from performing the surgery on humans.

Trickey said that there wasn't a thing about his operation he wouldn't do again, except to try it earlier rather than later in the progression of the disease.

Most of the foreign patients he encountered were there for the ALS surgery rather than a spinal cord implant. His procedure lasted about 80 minutes, and he only had a local anesthetic. The spinal cord surgery is much more complicated and lengthy.

"It didn't hurt, but I could feel pressure," he said of the surgery. He spent an afternoon in recovery and then quickly began a regimen of physical therapy, acupuncture and massage.

A week after the surgery, he was visiting the sights of Beijing. "I think they give permission to go out based on how each individual was reacting," he said.

He felt much stronger after the initial procedure and could easily make the walk up and down the hospital hallways.

Before he had the surgery, he ranked a 26 on the ALS functional rating scale, which marks how well a person does with daily tasks like feeding themselves, getting dressed or even mobility. By the time Trickey left the hospital he had gained another four points on the scale.

He said the most noticeable difference is in his leg strength and his balance. "I gained some in my arms, but that's mostly because of physical therapy," he said.

Deciphering instructions

He'll begin a physical therapy routine here in the coming days. But that will take some deciphering. The instructions from the Chinese medical staff are written in English, but sentences and phrasing aren't complete.

While at the hospital, Trickey was selected to participate in a clinical trial. He's been asked to return to Beijing in a year for another implant procedure. This time the surgery will be paid for by the hospital; the total expenses usually run from $20,000 to $25,000.

He said the medical staff told him the second operation usually brings better results.

"We asked them why this works, and they aren't really sure of an answer," Brandy Trickey said.

Even without a clear answer, "it's our only hope," she said. "If it's going to give him more time, then we'll go."

To help raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and other ALS patients, Montgomery Bank, where Brandy works, is sponsoring a charity scramble June 3 at Bent Creek Golf Club in Jackson. The four-person scramble includes a choice of start times and a meal before or after the game.

For information on how to register or to donate prizes, call Brandy Trickey at 986-5543.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126