Political SCI: Petition for Human Trials of OEG Technology in the US

Today I am working on another paper for my Issues in International Business class.  However I came across some information and send the following letter to some of our nation's leaders such as:

George Bush, President of the United States

Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services

Jesse Goodman, M.D., Director, FDA/CEBR  

I encourage you to learn about OEG, a specific application of stem cell technology for spinal cord injury, and sign the petition to promote human trials in United States at: http://www.cordtalk.org/oeg/   Human trials of variations of this technology are already being done in other countries but US scientists are being held back by political restrictions!

-Mark

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Dear Sir, Madame

 

My name is Mark Felling from Minneapolis Minnesota.  1.5 years ago I suffered a C-5 level spinal cord injury leaving me a quadriplegic paralyzed from the armpits down confined to a power wheelchair.  I am writing to you, because I believe that it is within your domain to bring a new therapy to human clinical trials for spinal cord injury-- it's called OEG.  If you are unfamiliar with OEG please visit the following website, and educate yourself about this very promising cell technology.

 

http://www.cordtalk.org/oeg/

 

I am an electrical engineer and completing a Masters in Business Administration.  I've spent years teaching quality verification to some of the top high-tech companies’ development and engineering groups around the world.  I now working to adapt numerous technologies to make life for those confined to a wheelchair easier. I know from personal experience, success in innovation does not happen without some risk, the courage to overcome it, and the ability to think outside the box of what might be possible!  I believe the potential for OEG technology to help someone like me in the next five years is excellent.  Even if I did not get up out of my wheelchair I believe this technology has the potential to give me back to use of my hands, as well as significant increased strength and sensation to other parts of my body.  This alone would increase my independence tenfold and possibly eliminate my needs for daily personal care assistance!

 

Please imagine how you would react to the potential of this technology if your life, or that of someone in your family was suddenly "flipped upside down" tomorrow? Every day 33 people in just the United States suffer spinal cord injuries.  Without better treatments, each one of those people cost society $0.25 to $0.5 million dollars the first year and $50,000-$250,000 per year thereafter depending on the level of their injury.

 

A simple cost-benefit analysis such as is done for any development project quickly demonstrates the value to society of investing in this research! We must act upon the scientific proof from recent advances and make human clinical trials of OEG transplants in spinal cord injury a reality.

 

If you are already familiar with OEG, I would to know your position on OEG.  I would like to know what steps you are taking to make OEG therapy happen.  Where are you doing currently with respect to OEG Development?

 

Sincerely,

 

Mark Felling

mfelling@yahoo.com

www.markfelling.com

Welcome!

I finally got my blog set up and running! I've been meaning to do this for a long time as a continuation of my Caring Bridge site that my mom was using to keep everyone updated while I was in the hospital and later rehab. It has been over 1.5 years since my accident! My, how time flies when you're not having fun.

One would think in all that time I should have responded to everyone's gracious, good wishes and pledges of prayer! Though I did not, I did read every that was written and I cannot express my appreciation to everyone for all their encouragement!

You can access an exact duplicate archive of everything that was written on Caring Bridge Here

Food for Thought...

Of all the crap that flies around the Internet, I found these particular thoughts exceptionally relevant and extracted them to share.

-Mark

There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2030, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

You should not confuse your career with your life.

Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

Men are like fine wine.. They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

Comedy: Lizard Birthing Story

If you have raised kids (or been one), and gone through the pet syndrome including toilet-flush burials for dead goldfish, the story below will have you laughing out LOUD! Overview: I had to take my son's lizard to the vet

Here's what happened:
Just after dinner one night, my son came up to tell me there was "something wrong" with one of the two lizards he holds prisoner in his room.

"He's just lying there looking sick," he told me.
"I'm serious, Dad. Can you help?"
I put my best lizard-healer statement on my face and followed him into his bedroom. One of the little lizards was indeed lying on his back, looking stressed. I immediately knew what to do.
"Honey," I called, "come look at the lizard!"
"Oh my gosh," my wife diagnosed after a minute. "She's having babies."
"What?" my son demanded. "But their names are Bert and Ernie, Mom!" I was equally outraged.
"Hey, how can that be? I thought we said we didn't want them to reproduce," I accused my wife.
"Well, what do you want me to do, post a sign in their cage?" she inquired. (I actually think she said this sarcastically!)
"No, but you were supposed to get two boys!" I reminded her, (in my most loving, calm, sweet voice, while gritting my teeth together).
"Yeah, Bert and Ernie!" my son agreed.
"Well, it's just a little hard to tell on some guys, you know," she informed me. (again with the sarcasm, you think?)
By now the rest of the family had gathered to see what was going on.
I shrugged, deciding to make the best of it.
"Kids, this is going to be a wondrous experience, I announced. "We're about to witness the miracle of birth."
"Oh, gross!" they shrieked.
"Well, isn't THAT just great! What are we going to do with a litter of tiny little lizard babies?" my wife wanted to know. (I really do think she was being snotty here, too. Don't you?)

We peered at the patient. After much struggling, what looked like a tiny foot would appear briefly, vanishing a scant second later.
"We don't appear to be making much progress," I noted.
"It's breech," my wife whispered, horrified.
"Do something, Dad!" my son urged.
"Okay, okay." Squeamishly, I reached in and grabbed the foot when it next appeared, giving it a gingerly tug. It disappeared. I tried several more times with the same results.
"Should I call 911," my eldest daughter wanted to know. "Maybe they could talk us through the trauma." (You see a pattern here with the females in my house?)
"Let's get Ernie to the vet," I said grimly.
We drove to the vet with my son holding the cage in his lap.
"Breathe, Ernie, breathe," he urged.
"I don't think lizards do Lamaze," his mother noted to him. (Women can be so cruel to their own young. I mean what she does to me is one thing, but this boy is of her womb, for God's sake.)

The Vet took Ernie back to the examining room and peered at the little animal through a magnifying glass.
"What do you think, Doc, a C-section?" I suggested scientifically.
"Oh, very interesting," he murmured. "Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, may I speak to you privately for a moment?" I gulped, noddingfor my son to step outside.
"Is Ernie going to be okay?" my wife asked.
"Oh, perfectly," the Vet assured us. "This lizard is not in labor. In fact, that isn't EVER going to happen... Ernie is a boy. You see, Ernie is a young male. And occasionally, as they come into maturity, like most male species, they um....um....masturbate. Just the way he did, lying on his back." He blushed, glancing at my wife. "Well, you know what I'm saying, Mr. Cameron."

We were silent, absorbing this.
"So Ernie's just...just... excited," my wife offered.
"Exactly," the vet replied, relieved that we understood.
More silence. Then my viscous, cruel wife started to giggle. And giggle. And then even laugh loudly.
"What's so funny?" I demanded, knowing, but not believing that the woman I married would commit the upcoming affront to my flawless manliness.
Tears were now running down her face. "It's just...that... I'm picturing you pulling on its... its...teeny little..." she gasped for more air to bellow in laughter once more.
"That's enough," I warned. We thanked the Vet and hurriedly bundled the lizards and our son back into the car. He was glad everything was going to be okay.
"I know Ernie's really thankful for what you've done, Dad," he told me.
"Oh, you have NO idea," my wife agreed, collapsing with laughter.

2 - Lizards - $140...
1 - Cage - $50...
Trip to the Vet - $30...
Memory of your husband pulling on a lizard's wacker.....Priceless

Political: Kansas Senate Opening Session Prayer

Periodically, we all must be given a "kick in the pants" to be reminded of the important things in life, and those priorities that truly deserve our time and attention.  I'm sure it is just as easy for our elected representatives to get caught up in the daily grind struggling with the bureaucracy of modern politics.  Congratulations to the courageous few who can stand up and remind us of our priorities, even in the face of potential ridicule!

-Mark

 

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.  We know Your Word says,  'Woe to those who call evil good,'  but that is exactly what we have done.   

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our  values.    We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and call it Pluralism.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest.

In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.  The church is now receiving international requests for copies of  this prayer from India, Africa, and Korea.

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation  and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be  called "one nation under God."

Political: The Politics of God in the United States

I thought this was an interesting response to those that would like to remove all references to God and spirituality from modern American politics!

-Mark

 

If our US government determines that it is against the law for the words "under God" to be on our money... And if our governmental representatives decide that the "Ten Commandments" are not to be used in or on any government installation... And since prayer in the schools is already prohibited...

I say, "so be it," because I and am proud to be a US citizen and helped to elect the officials making these decisions. I would like to think that smarter people than I are in positions to make good decisions. I would like to think that the use of officials have my best interest at heart.

BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE I'D LIKE?

I'd like my mail delivered on Christmas, Good Friday & Easter & Sundays.

I'd like the US Supreme Court to be in session on Christmas, Good Friday & Easter as well as Sundays. Why would these be holidays for them if they don't believe in the reason we have them?

I'd like the Senate and the House of representatives to not have to worry about getting home for the "Christmas Break." What is Christmas without Christ?

I'm thinking that a lot of my taxpayer dollars could be saved, if all government offices & services would work on Christmas, Good Friday, Easter & Sundays. It shouldn't cost any overtime since those would be just like any other day of the week to a government that is trying to be "politically correct".

This would not affect any "non-governmental" business since everyone else still has the freedom of religion, we could all still enjoy our holidays.

So be it...as our Presidents conclude their speeches........

God Bless America !!!

Disability: 65-Year-old Russian Amputee Completes 3,000-Mile Wheelchair Trip (AP)

Often we must fall many times before achieving that which we set out to do! Our strength and resolve are determined by what we do in response to each fall, fearless of the next.

-Mark

Tuesday, August 24, 2004, 12:00 pm

MADRID, Spain - He had to change tires 11 times and once fell to the ground and spent the night in a ditch, but 65-year-old Russian Vladimir Ksenchak rolled undaunted into Madrid on Tuesday at the end of a 3,000-mile wheelchair trip.

Ksenchak left Moscow on June 11 and made his way through Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and France before reaching Spain. He said the journey was intended to inspire the disabled and denounce illegal drug use. Ksenchak lost a leg to circulatory problems eight years ago.

His adventure was a one-man campaign he dubbed "Russia-Europe: Without Drugs" and aimed at discouraging young people from using illegal drugs. He told a news conference in Madrid he had also made the journey "to lend moral and spiritual support to all disabled people and help them to keep their spirits up."

He said people along his route had given him food, drink and lodging. It was near the Spanish capital that he suffered one of three falls from the wheelchair and was forced to spend the night in a ditch.

"The easiest part was up until Luxembourg. Then the route was more complicated, and the hardest part was between San Sebastian and Madrid because of the hills," Ksenchak said.

He said his original goal had been to go to Lisbon, Portugal. He said he stopped in Madrid because his wheelchair gave out.

Russian amputee Vladimir Ksenchak, 65, waves at the crowd during a press conference in Madrid Tuesday Aug. 24, 2004, after rolling from Moscow to Madrid in his wheelchair to inspire the disabled and denounce drugs. Ksenchak left Moscow on June 11 to make the 5,000 kilometer, 3,000 mile, trip. (AP Photo/EFE, Juanjo Martin)