堤姆得到了很棒的耶誕禮物，來看看他的禮物吧！Christmas is going to be different this year for Tim Donovan.
今年的耶誕節對於堤姆而言是一個非常不同的耶誕節。
This year's holiday season will be different for Tim Donovan. It's going to be the first Christmas since the Fredericton Junction councillor underwent a new treatment for multiple sclerosis at a private clinic in the United States. Donovan said the liberation treatment, which isn't available in Canada, has helped improve his mobility and energy level.
It will be the first holiday season the longtime Fredericton Junction councillor has enjoyed since family, friends and neighbours raised more than $10,000 to help him pay for the liberation treatment - a new procedure for multiple sclerosis patients that has yet to be approved by Health Canada.
Researchers across the globe are conducting trials to determine whether this procedure is an effective way to treat MS.
A growing number of Canadian MS patients have enjoyed varying degrees of success after undergoing the liberation treatment outside of the country, except for one Ontario man who died after having the procedure done in Costa Rica.
Donovan and thousands of other Canadians with MS have been travelling to clinics in places such as the United States, Bulgaria and Mexico to have the treatment, which involves improving the flow of blood through a patient's veins.
Donovan, who was diagnosed with MS more than 23 years ago, said the changes in his life have been remarkable since having the procedure in August.
堤姆23年前被診斷出多發性硬化症，直到今年8月份做了靜脈擴張術之後，他的生活才出現了重大的改變。
He said his mobility and balance have greatly improved, he has more feeling in his extremities and his energy level has jumped.
堤姆說他的行動和平衡能力有了很大的進步，他四肢的的感覺回復了，而且他比以前更有精神，不再容易疲憊了。
He's looking forward to spending quality time with his grandchildren over the holidays.
他很期盼今年的耶誕節能和他的孫子過一個很有質感的假期。
"They have their grandfather back. They used to go to the hospital every year to visit me and wonder if I was going to die," he said.
過去我的孫子都是到醫院來陪我度過耶誕節，而且也不知道我是否會因此而去世。而現在，他們的祖父回來了！
The past few Christmas holidays have been difficult for Donovan, who often missed most of these special moments due to a severely depleted energy level.
過去的耶誕節因為嚴重的疲憊感覺讓堤姆總是在重要的時刻中缺席
But he's expecting Christmas morning to be different this year.
堤姆
"We always go to my daughter's home and we spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with the kids. Last year, I'd get up with them, watch them open their gifts and then I'd go back to bed. This year, I can stay up. That's a big deal to me," he said, a broad smile spreading across his face.
堤姆說：『我們總是到我女兒的家過耶誕夜直到隔天。去年我和他們起床看著他們把禮物拆開之後我就疲倦的必須再回去睡覺。今年，我可以站起來了，這對我來說是很重要的事』
"The kids aren't saying, 'Where's Grampy?' "
And thanks to more energy and better co-ordination, he's already received a special holiday gift.
這是堤姆今年獲得最特別的禮物
"Last year, the doctor told me he didn't think I'd walk again and he took my driver's licence away. Last month, I got it back," he said.
堤姆說：『去年，醫師告訴我他不認為我能夠走路而且他拿走了我的駕照。上個月我把我的駕照拿回來了！』
"So that's my early Christmas present - I got my driver's licence back."
Donovan said he knew he was feeling stronger, but he wasn't certain what the driver examiner would think about his improved abilities.
"I told the driver examiner that I have MS and, 'The doctors think I might need a (left-foot accelerator pedal) and I want you to take me out and if I'm not safe, I don't want my licence,' " he said.
"He took me out for 45 minutes - on highways, (curved) streets and, at one point, a child even ran out in front of me and I just stopped like anybody would. He said, 'There's nothing wrong with your driving.'
"He gave me my licence. I remember when I first got my licence at 16. It was terrific. It felt just like that."
He said he's thankful that his community helped him pay for the costly treatment and he believes it's promising that the new Progressive Conservative government has already committed money to exploring this emerging treatment option.
堤姆說他很感謝他的親友協助他募得了執行手術的費用，
Donovan said the growing optimism he discovers while talking to New Brunswickers about his experience will keep his spirits high.
"I like to make the joke that I'm not a soap dispenser - I'm a hope dispenser," he said.
"I talk to people every day about what's happened to me. I'm not saying I'm a doctor or that I know everything about it, but I can speak about what's happened to me.
堤姆說：『我每天都告訴別人在我身上發生的事，雖然我不是醫生，但我可以告訴他們我是如何有此一轉變的。』
"I hear their stories and it makes me want to keep fighting (until this procedure is available in Canada)."堤姆說：『我聽了很多其他病友做過靜脈擴張手術的故事，而就是這些故事讓我想要繼續和多發性硬化症奮戰下去』
--------------------------------------
我更希望明年的耶誕節之前，會有更多多發性硬化症病友會收到像堤姆一樣的禮物。
發表文章
人正在閱覽
在新年即將來到的時候，祝大家新年快樂，萬事如意！
回覆刪除在這裡，好像沒有看到有人提到LDN治療MS，實際上是一種非常簡單有效的治療方法。LDN= low dose naltrexone. naltrexone 在中國稱為“納曲酮”，不知道台灣如何命名，這是戒毒治療藥物。我使用後感覺效果很好，非常便宜，簡單口服，幾乎沒有任何副作用。
關於這方面的信息很多，隨便看看外國的經驗吧：
Over the past few years, growing experience with the clinical use of LDN demonstrates its consistency in preventing further attacks in people with MS. In addition, a majority of such patients note reductions in spasticity and fatigue.
在過去的幾年裡，越來越多的臨床使用LDN治療MS的經驗證明其防止病情進一步發展有效性。此外，大多數MS患者注意到痙攣和疲勞的減少。
In preparing a proposed clinical trial protocol for the use of LDN in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, Dr. Bihari assembled the latest data from his clinical practice. As of May 2004, Bihari has almost 400 patients with MS in his care. Of that group he knows of only two patients who showed signs or symptoms of new disease activity over the years while taking LDN treatment.
在制定擬議的臨床試驗使用LDN治療多發性硬化症計劃時，比哈里醫生從他的臨床實踐，總結了截至2004年5月的400名MS病人的最新數據。他發現LDN治療的病人中，只有兩個病人出現新的疾病發展或症狀活動。
感謝曉昌提供的資訊，不過很可惜，目前在台灣並沒有這一項（特別是低劑量的藥物）低劑量的納曲酮主要劑量在1.5mg~4mg之間，之前有一位加拿大病友也提供這個訊息。
回覆刪除在衛生署的網頁上出現了"鴉片"的字眼，經過Google搜尋後找到藥商為「必治妥施貴寶」劑量為50mg。屬於解毒劑及解毒癮用藥。
附上用法：起始劑量，每日25mg，每2～3天增加劑量，最大劑量每週350mg。每週劑量不得超過800mg。
1.Low Dose Naltrexone 那曲酮（低劑量的Naltrexone）：睡前使用，劑量：1.5 mg~4.5 mg
FDA-approved naltrexone, in a low dose, can boost the immune system — helping those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and central nervous system disorders.
美國FDA核准的藥物（低劑量），可幫助自體免疫以及中樞神經系統異常的病症
與MS適應症狀的關係：
People who have Multiple Sclerosis that has led to muscle spasms are advised to begin LDN treatment with just 3mg daily and to maintain that dosage.
適用於肌肉經欒（抽搐;抽筋）
Patients who are exposed to undue fatigue, heat, or a febrile illness may demonstrate a recurrence of prior symptoms, stemming from an area of old neurologic involvement. These areas tend to have increased irritability of nervous tissue surrounding old healed MS scars ("plaques"). Such an episode may be very transient and may not represent a true relapse.
適用於過度感到疲累;倦怠; 發熱的症狀
相關連結：http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/ldn_and_ms.htm
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/
的確，一般的納曲酮是每片50mg，但是MS患者服用的LDN一般每天3mg。最初美國也只有50mg劑量，後來為了方便MS患者，有人生產3mg劑量。但是，許多MS患者是這樣使用50mg劑量的，就是把一片50mg納曲酮分成16份，每天吃1份即可。當然這1份非常小，就像芝麻粒一樣。也許你會發現自己不太容易分得非常均勻，我發現不必分得非常均勻，大概均勻即可。有一種方法可以分得均勻，就是用一個微電子天平去計量，先計量出50mg的重量，然後可以算出1/16的重量，每次吃1/16即可。但是我發現後一種方法很麻煩，最終放棄。
回覆刪除還有患者是這樣做的，即把50mg先分成4份（這一步很容易），再把1/4（12.5mg）溶於4ml或者8ml水中，每次服用1ml或者2ml即可。當然，我還是覺得麻煩一些。
回覆刪除關鍵問題是能否從醫生那裡獲得LDN，因為屬於解毒癮用藥，而且亞洲的醫生恐怕沒有聽說過LDN可以治療MS。如果能夠獲得，其他的問題都容易解決。