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McKinney teenager returns from Russia
Tonya Winchester, 19, of McKinney, holds a vial that was used last month by Russian doctors to mix her spinal fluid and stem cells. There are about 20 more cocktail vials waiting for the quadriplegic when she returns to Moscow for future treatment. Photo: Robert James Hughes | McKinney Courier-Gazette
BY STEFANIE WHITE, McKinney Courier-Gazette
For Tonya Winchester, life as a quadriplegic has been both emotionally and physically challenging. Two years ago, the 19-year-old was paralyzed from the chest down after a car accident and has since held several fundraisers to raise money to go overseas for stem cell treatment.
On April 1, Winchester returned from Moscow, Russia, where she went to the NeuroVita Clinic for three weeks to receive stem cell treatment.
“I don't even know where to begin,” Winchester said.
“First they came in the night and inserted a catheter into the artery in my thigh,” Winchester said. “They filtered out my blood into a machine which filtered out my stem cells.”
For three days, Winchester said the stem cells harvested and grew into five million stem cells. Winchester said she will get so many stem cells every three months and the rest will be kept frozen until needed.
“They also harvest enough for two years,” Winchester said.
The procedure, she said, wasn't without some side effects. Winchester said a normal side effect was that the stem cell treatment drained the body fluids.
“When I woke up, I had a headache,” Winchester said. “And I felt dizzy, kind of lightheaded.”
The NeuroVita Clinic had patients from all around the world, some with injuries similar to Winchester's.
Despite some of the language barriers, Winchester said the doctors were very competent and compassionate.
“I loved the doctors,” Winchester said “You could tell that they knew exactly what they were doing.”
During her time at NeuroVita, Winchester said she was scared and unsure about how everything would go.
“It was nerve racking, you know,” Winchester said. “I didn't really know what to expect.”
While the doctors told Winchester not to expect a lot with her first injection, she said she is already starting to get some sensations in her hands and feet.
“My hands tingle now,” Winchester said. “My feet tingle more.”
Winchester said the more injections she receives, combined with therapy, the more the doctors said she would gain.
“You gain the most after the fourth injection,” Winchester said. “I met some people there that gained after the first injection and I also met people who were there for their sixth or seventh time.”
Winchester and her family plan on going back to the NeuroVita Clinic after July 4. This time, she said she would only have to stay two weeks instead of three.
“I'm actually scheduled for two double doses,” Winchester said.
With each injection, which contains 10,000 stem cells, Winchester said she hopes to make progress.
“I have hopes, not expectations,” Winchester said.
Since returning from Russia and feeling tingling in her fingers and feet, she is happy to have those new feelings.
“It's exciting,” she said.
Contact staff writer Stefanie White at swhite@acnpapers.com. To post comments online, access this story at www.scntx.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
Tammy Henderson wrote on Apr 11, 2007 1:32 AM:
" I used to work at Dr. Mitchell & Dr. Stringer's office and wanted to commend you on your bravery and drive you continually have.
You are a deserving woman and May God Bless you throughout this journey for a positive recovery.
You are in my thoughts!
th "
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