{"id":140402,"date":"2016-12-20T22:31:45","date_gmt":"2016-12-20T22:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/me-my-operation-the-pioneering-stem-cell-procedure-that-can-restore-movement-after-a-stroke\/"},"modified":"2016-12-20T22:31:45","modified_gmt":"2016-12-20T22:31:45","slug":"me-my-operation-the-pioneering-stem-cell-procedure-that-can-restore-movement-after-a-stroke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/me-my-operation-the-pioneering-stem-cell-procedure-that-can-restore-movement-after-a-stroke\/","title":{"rendered":"ME & MY OPERATION: The pioneering stem cell procedure that can restore movement after a stroke"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tens of thousands of people each year are left paralysed to some degree by a stroke. Billy Elder, 63, from Renfrew, Glasgow, is one of the first people to receive a new stem cell treatment to restore movement, as he tells OONA MASHTA . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

THE PATIENT<\/span><\/p>\n

One day in August last year I was reaching for food in the fridge, when I suddenly fell unconscious. I don\u2019t know how long I was out for and I thought I had just tripped over.<\/p>\n

Afterwards I felt a bit dizzy so I went for a lie down until my wife Catherine came home about an hour or two later.<\/p>\n

\"Life
\n \"Life<\/p>\n

Life change: Billy Elder 63 Billy was left paralysed down his left side after a stroke in 2015<\/p>\n

I told her I fell and didn\u2019t feel very well, but neither of us were particularly worried as all I had to show for my dizzy spell was a small scratch on my elbow. I had no idea that the fall was a stroke.<\/p>\n

The next morning I made myself a cup of coffee, but when I tried to take a sip, it spilt as I couldn\u2019t co-ordinate my hand to my mouth properly.<\/p>\n

Catherine realised something wasn\u2019t right so rang our daughter, Sonja, who took me to AE. I swiftly deteriorated and by the time I got there an hour later, the left side of my mouth drooped and I couldn\u2019t use my left arm. I wasn\u2019t too concerned, but I wasn\u2019t thinking clearly.<\/p>\n

The doctors recognised instantly that I was having a stroke, and I was rushed in for a brain scan.<\/p>\n

This showed that a blood clot was blocking blood flow to my brain and as a result various areas were permanently damaged, including the areas that govern movement and speech.<\/p>\n

I was virtually paralysed down my left side, had no power in my left arm, and my speech was slurred.<\/p>\n

\"Recovering:
\n \"Recovering:<\/p>\n

Recovering: Billy has taken part in stem cell trials and regained some movement in his left arm<\/p>\n

\"Brain
\n \"Brain<\/p>\n

Brain attack: strokes happens when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off<\/p>\n

The doctors said the fall was actually a stroke and as so much time had elapsed \u2014 about 24 hours between me having it and getting to hospital \u2014 there was little they could do.<\/p>\n

I spent three days in hospital resting and slowly I started to realise just how much my life would have to change.<\/p>\n

I spent 13 weeks in a rehabilitation centre having intense speech therapy and physiotherapy, but I just couldn\u2019t regain any movement in my left arm or leg and my speech was still slurred. Things I\u2019d taken for granted such as walking were now beyond me.<\/p>\n

Back home I could no longer work and I had to rely on Catherine for most things \u2014 and had pretty much given up on ever regaining movement in my left side.<\/p>\n