It Feels Like I’m Getting Better All the Time

Before coming to Apple Medical Centers, my knees had been hurting for years. I first started having pain in my knees while I was still in high school, and as I got older it just got worse. For the last 5 years or so both knees hurt constantly. I am a hiker and I have a large dog that needs a lot of exercise and let me tell you, it’s no fun hiking when your knees are killing you the whole time. It was even keeping me up at night. I had to lie where I could hang my right leg off the bed to relieve the pain and pressure.

I had been to several doctors who kept sending me to specialists who just gave me anti-inflammatory drugs and pain killers and who told me I was looking at knee replacement surgery down the road. The drugs really weren’t helping me much and I was dead set against the surgery. I’ve known too many people who had the surgery and were not happy with the results. Besides, they cut out the bones in your knees so they can only do the surgery two times. Not to mention, the surgery only lasts about 8 years. Then I went to one of the Stem Cell lectures that Dr. Carberry gives. I had heard about stem cells and had seen a program on public TV about what a miracle they were going to be. I had no idea that this therapy was already available.

It seemed perfect for me but I’m a sceptic. I still wasn’t sure this was “for real.” So I waited and talked to several people who had the therapy. I also saw some amazing before and after X-rays. That was enough to convince me. I took out a loan from my credit union to have it done. Turns out I was just in time, since my X-rays showed that my left knee was so bad it was difficult to get the needle into the joint.

This was the best investment I have ever made! It was worth every penny and still much cheaper than the out of pocket for surgery even with insurance. I worried for weeks that it just wasn’t going to work for me and then at right about 6 weeks, I started to notice a difference. My knees weren’t hurting at night anymore. Then they stopped hurting at all except after a long walk and even then they only hurt for a short while. Then they only hurt when I jumped down from big rock to big rock. Then I decided to try running a little bit with my dog (he was so excited. I’d never done that before!). It didn’t bother my knees even a little bit. Then I decided to try squatting. I haven’t been able to squat down and get back up in over 30 years. But no problem, I can get all the way down and back up with no trouble at all. Now I have to remind myself that I don’t have to plan my trips up and down the stairs at home to get the most done in the fewest trips. I don’t even have to grab the rail and pull myself up anymore. I’m 8 months out from the injections and it still seems like I’m getting better all the time.

I strongly and whole heartedly recommend this procedure. You’ll be glad you did it.