My name is Reinaldo Colón, born in Puerto Rico in 1964. I grew up like any other kid. In 1989 I graduated from college; something I thought that I would never complete. In 1986 while studying late at night; when I went to get into my car, while opening the door, I fell down like a mango from a tree. With help I recuperated, rested a few minutes, and finally got into my house. I began seeing all types of doctors and had all types of tests done. Nobody could find what caused me to fall down. I was getting worse every day, I began seeing double, not able to articulate a word, numbness in the entire right side of the body beginning in the head and ending in the toe. While all of this happens, I was told about a good neurologist in the capital with whom I made an appointment. Because I was getting worse every day, my parents called this neurologist and he asked me to go to the hospital where he works. The first thing I saw when I got into the hospital room was a table with a tray with three long needles to be used by the neurologist to perform a lumbar puncture. I was asked to move into a fetal position so that my spinal cord would be more exposed. The first needle he used was to numb the area, the second needle was to make sure the liquid was where he was looking for it, and the third needle was to extract the spinal cord liquid. This sample was sent to the United States and tested for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). While I was hospitalized, the results from the US came back with a positive diagnostic of MS. Back then there were no specialized medications for MS, so the doctor put me in a treatment of steroids. The neurologist told me that MS happens more frequently in women than in men, and I remember telling him that I was a man who has gotten MS. He instructed me to eat a lot of tomatoes and green leafs. With the steroids treatment, I got better and my stay at the hospital lasted nine days.  I asked the doctor if the MS would hampered my studies of engineering. He told me that the MS affected my muscles not my brain. He also told me not to over exercise because of all the steroids I was given. At 22 years old I was diagnosed with MS; this is when my journey with MS began. Since then my health has been a roller coaster, but I was determined to make the fight against MS. I continued my studies and finally graduated from college achieving my dream of becoming an electronics engineer. After college I had some stability called in medical terms; remissions. I was able to still play basketball, softball and some golf. I got my first job, the same one I still work at. I have been on numerous different medications not for a cure, but to prevent new exacerbations and to manage the symptoms. To mentioned some of them: Copaxone, Avonex, Betaseron, Rebif, Mehtrotaxate, Prednisone, Intravenous Chemotherapy, Tysabri, Gilenya, Tecfidera, Ampyra, Cladribine and few more that I cannot recall anymore. Some of them have been effective temporarily, others have not. I had a couple of years with not many episodes; however, the MS has been progressively gaining my body and limiting my daily activities. I started using a cane to help my balance while walking, but now I use a wheelchair all the time when not at home. To help me keep walking, I use a walker at home and hold onto things to move very short distances. I cannot walk five steps without falling down because I have no balance. I changed my lifestyle for a healthier one with natural supplements and special attention to food. I have lost 37 pounds and it has helped my family help me when I fall. I go to physical therapy once per week. My work provides me with a good health plan, and thanks to that I have been able keep fighting against MS. However, there are so many maintenance medications, therapy and doctor appointments that co-pays really take a toll on my family. My wife and three children are very supportive. My little one, now 12, used to take rides with me in the wheelchair until not long ago. My wife always says that we have an ARMY of FRIENDS and that is very true, without our extended family and network of friends our lives would be much harder. We are always looking and searching for any new development for MS. I owe that to my little one. She is my new reason to fight MS. Recently we found information about a novel combination of two treatments for MS patients; Transvascular Autonomic Modulation (TVAM) and Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) therapy, which offers high hopes to alleviate symptoms in MS patients. TVAM is performed in different countries and several patients from Canada come to US to get this treatment. The combination with the MSC is a novel approach currently performed in USA. We have contacted the doctor’s office in California where the treatment has been performed since 2008, and verified the cost and calculated all out of the pocket expenses after the health insurance coverage. This is considered an investigational treatment; therefore not many health insurances cover the treatment. In my case, my health insurance will cover a fairly good part, but the treatment is expensive and in addition to out of the pocket expenses and travel expenses to get the treatment, it is really almost impossible to make it a real possibility. I would like to be able to enjoy a better quality of life and be able to be there for my daughter. I have seen the testimony of many patients that have had the treatment and I know there is hope for me and for many other MS patients. I cannot stay doing nothing. I would appreciate any help to make the novel approach of TVAM and MSC treatment possible. I will keep you informed of every step taken on the way. There is no help too little, even if you cannot help monetarily, please help to share my cause with others by posting it on your social media and use the hashtag #helpreifightMS. Not only will you be aiding me to get this TVAM / MSC treatment but you are helping to spread awareness of MS. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and Thank You in advance for your consideration. Please feel free to contact me at GoFundMe should you need additional information or if you have any questions. For more information about the TVAM treatment for MS patients, you may visit http://autonomicspecialists.com/multiple-sclerosis/   and for Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) therapy you may visit http://autonomicspecialists.com/mesenchymal-stem-cell-therapy/  

#helpreifightMS