The "The Future According To LDub: Part I - Medical" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking my daily planner that I have on my desk.  The month of January is already beginning to fill with...doctor's appointments.  Same as 2017!  First test is a Myelogram.  Preparation for the myelogram is no solid foods 1 hour before the procedure and drink extra fluids the day before and the day of the test.  Luckily I'm not on blood thinners or I would have had to stop that medication a few days before the procedure.  A myelography uses a real-time form of x-ray called fluoroscopy and an injection of contrast material to evaluate the spinal cord, nerve roots and spinal lining.  I must lay face down on the x-ray table and the doctor will use x-rays to guide a hollow needle that will be inserted into the fluid filled space within my spine that surrounds my spinal nerves.  Contrast/x-ray dye will be injected to allow visualization of the nerve roots and for areas of spinal canal narrowing.  The reason for the test is the deadening of the nerves in my left foot and the start of the same thing in my right foot.  The cause of this problem hasn't been diagnosed yet, but it could be a result of the hardware I have in my back from my third back operation a few years ago.  I recently had an MRI done that showed possible pinched nerves in my back which could be the cause of the deadening of the nerves.  After the procedure I will be taken to CT on a bed and images will also be taken to give the best images of my spine.  I then must rest for two hours before heading home.  My guess is I will glow for a day or two after the procedure and won't have to use lights in the house to see where I am going.   Wouldn't it be nice if you could get a shot of an anti-aging solution that would last for years and prevent disease and misery from being a constant companion during the aging process.  

Professor Paul Niehans

I recently read about a fellow named Paul Niehans who in 1954 was summoned to the Papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo.  Guy was considered a quack, but Pope Pius XII was ill and fatigued and thought he would try anything to make his 77 year-old body feel better.  Niehans administered an anti-aging treatment called cell therapy.  Fetal cells were taken from a pregnant sheep and injected into the body.  You needed a few shots over a short period of time, but it was supposed to make you feel rejuvenated.  It worked for the Pope!  The so-called quack was appointed to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences as a Thank-You.  The treatment worked well for four years and then the Pope died.  It was said he would have died in the same period of time anyway, but at least he felt good during those four years.  So, where can I get a shot like that?  

Professor Paul Niehans Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland.

Professor Paul Niehans graduated from the Zurich University and opened the Clinique La Prairie in 1931.  He was well known for adminis- tering fresh animal cells to patients suffering from various medical conditions with outstanding results.  Thus, the visit with the Pope.  Prof. Niehans treated over 5,000 patients using cellular therapy to stimulate the immune system.  People from all walks of life visited his Swiss clinic for therapy.  In the 1980's the clinic was acquired by Swiss entrepreneur Armin Mattli who further developed the clinic to be recognized for its innovative scientific research and medical expertise.  It now offers programs in weight management, sleep therapy, smoking cessation and more.  But, the human lifespan still remains about the same.  Sure, we may be healthier while we're still living, but we'll still die when we do now.  But, I'm OK with that!  Eliminate all the pain I have in my body and I'll gladly do it.  There are many people researching various ways to extend life, but will it happen in my, or your, lifetime?  It may have something to do with our DNA, but no one knows for sure.  As for me, I'm hoping the myelogram will tell my surgeon, one of the best in the country according to the plaque on his wall, what he can do to give me the feeling back in my legs and stop the back pain.  Maybe I should suggest the fetal cells from a pregnant sheep and see what he says.  Bet we both know the answer!   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS- My test has been completed and with little to no problems.  I was told I had to lay or sit in a reclined position for 24 hours to make sure I didn't get a spinal headache which is supposed to be the worst type of headache you can imagine.  I now await a call from my surgeon telling me what my next step will be.