Fats Build Your Brain

No offense, but you have a fat head! About two-thirds of your brain is composed of fats. But not just any kind.

Your brain cells require very specialized fats – the same ones that built the brains of your prehistoric ancestors and enabled them to learn and evolve at such a fast rate. These same fats are even now being incorporated into the very structure of your brain.

Omega 3, 6, 9,

Omega 9 good source is Extra Virgin Olive Oil,

Omega 3, Flax Seed oil, Hemp seed Oil.

They also sale DHA Fatty Acids in a pill at health food stores. But They have 2 types one of from Fish oil's.

The One from Plants is more Human Friendly.

For more Info on the human Brain check out this web site.
http://www.fi.edu/brain/fats.htm

Now Moveing on. Ya wana make sure Tori is getting Essential Amino Acids, because Amino Acids from Protins are used to make the nurotransmitter that allow your brain cells to network and commuicate.

This Product has 18 Essential Amino Acids out of 20 essental amino acid index.
http://www.manitobaharvest.com/products/index.asp?itemID=158
Its Hemp Protein Powder.

Now to get Micronutrients from Fruit and Veggies, Eating them Uncooked, Or Put them into a Omega Juicer. There is Micronutrients that Doctors dont know how they work yet.

Healthy monounsaturated fats are found also in avocados, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans, eggs, mackerel, and herrings, as well as in sesame, palm, corn, sunflower, and soybean oils.

I found something saying that Pot like drug helps Brain cell growth
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,172194,00.html
Marijuana-Like Drug Increases Brain Cells, Relieves Depression.

It would not even shock me at all Hemp Protein and hemp seed oil is really good for the brain as study's show.

Garlic and ginger is also good for the body.

A good Topic is howto Increase the IQ By eating the right foods and drinking the right liquid's. Water is life of all liveing things.

Hello again,

Wow!!! Only six more days and we are China bound with Tori!! It seems like time is really accelerating on us now. Again, I apologize for the delayed updates lately but it has been quite crazy with trying to get everything ready for the trip itself, keeping Tori healthy and going, doing news interviews and the like and unfortunately, trying to get Tori's passport... I was told today that it was IN THE MAIL and should finally arrive tomorrow though I'll believe it when it is truly in my hands. My visa contact is ready and waiting and she'll have everything done within 24 hours so we should be fine. I'll only feel fine when the all of our passports and visas are in my hands of course!! :-)

Thank you!! Thank you!! and Thank you!! again for all of the supportive verbal and web based comments, email and Donations that have occurred over the past few days!! It is greatly appreciated and we are ever so grateful. The recent news coverage ( Daily Herald , KUTV and KSL 1160 Radio ) about Tori's stem cell treatment and trip has generated alot of interest and awareness. She has many, many more new supporters. I promise I will reply to all of you who have contacted me but please give me a few days to try and catch up :-) There will likely be more articles and stories coming over the weekend and prior to our departure.

Now, moving on to Tori who is still doing well and is thankfully staying healthy. She was very interested in the KUTV crew when they were over at our home and was quite calm and responsive. Today Tori, Maria and Grandma Schmanski travelled up to the PCMC (Primary Children's Medical Center) in Salt Lake City for a baclofen pump refill and phenol injections throughout her upper body. They did put Tori under anesthesia this time and rightly so as they injected into her arms, forearms, shoulders, pectorals and all over her back. Tori could not receive botox injections because it hasn't been 3 months since her last injections. Giving them to her prior to 3 months would be unhealthy and dangerous so we will wait until we return from China to get the botox injections. Usually phenol and botox injections are given in combination but having the phenol injections alone will provide Tori plenty of relief from her spasticity.

In closing tonight I've included some information below from Beike Biotechnology who is providing Tori and many others the stem cell treatments.

Thank you as always for your love, prayers and support.

The Schmanski Family

Our Treatment:

Our treatment approach is a holistic one. We do not only provide patients with stem cell transplants but we also put each patient into a complete rehabilitation program. Typically the treatment includes of four stem cell injections of over 10 million stem cells each over a 20 to 25 day period with rehabilitation 6 days per week. The stem cells are transfused into the patients via the bloodstream (Intravenous Transfusion) and into the Cerebral Spinal Fluid via an Epidural Catheter placed in the lumbar region of the spinal column. With each Stem Cell Transplant we also give the patients a transfusion of Neural Growth Factors to encourage the stem cells to find their targets and transform into new neurons.

In addition we also offer our adult clients the opportunity to have a Bone Marrow Transplant during their stay. This involves removing the patients own bone marrow, culturing, expanding and purifying the stem cells from it and then transfusing it back into the patient. This treatment is optional and does have an additional cost per procedure.

The rehabilitation program consists of a tailored mix of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Acupuncture, Manipulation, ADL (Activities of Daily Life) education and Chinese massage. It is this holistic approach combined with the incredible power of the stem cells that gives our clients the best chance for improvements. Not all of these therapies are right for all patients. An on-site evaluation will be done upon your arrival and at that time you and the rehabilitation specialists will determine what the right mix will be.

Hi My name is Missy Ashton. We lived in Orem 6 years ago, and our son Travis, 11 at the time was in a car accident traveling home from Baseball practice. From what I have read about Tori, they are kindrid spirits. Kind and loving, a friend to all. Travis was always talented and successful at everything he attempted. He has always been a leader. Things in life were always easy for him. That changed the day of his accident. From that moment forward, everything has been hard. We have a family saying "Whats wrong with hard??" Which is a story in and of itself. However, he too has overcome great odds. He was in a coma, he had a left bone flap, he contracted spinal meningitis while in a coma. He was not expected to live either. His prognosis was that "if" he lived, he would be in a vegatative state. He did live, and when he came out of the coma, physically he WAS in a vegetative state. He could not move any part of his body, not even blink at will. He could lauph and smile and cry. He had to have a feeding tube, and a ventricular shunt put into his head to keep the spinal fluid from building up. Cognitively his IQ is the same, and his personality hasnt changed a bit. We also were at Utah Valley Hospital, Primary Childrens Hospital and then Healthsouth rehab.
Travis has been through alot of long hard battles. He has overcome alot. He no longer has a wheelchair and takes care of himself. He no longer has a feeding tube, or a VP shunt to regulate his spinal fluid. He is on no medications. He was in the same shape your daughter is in now. He was not given any of those miracles within the first year, They have come gradually over the past six years, with a HUGE amount of hard work,large amounts of money, and an even greater amount of faith.
Travis right side is still weak. He walks with a limp. He cannot use his right arm, and although his able to eat and drink, he cannot speak as of yet. He attends American Fork High School, he's a senior. He is brighter than most, but struggles to read well(mostly due to poor eyesight) and has a hard time communicating at times. However he is friend with just about everyone at the high school. Without speaking, he has an amazing ability to communicate. He plays golf and loves to dance and is very involved in student activities.

Tim and family,
I HOPE all of your wishes come true in china!!!!
Tell Tori she has 2 new friends that are thinking about her and praying for her!!!!
Kristen and Camron Rusignuolo

I too was in a motorcycle accident just east of Strawberry Resavoir on 28 June 2005. I hit a 4 point bull elk on my way to work at the Provo post office. My family was told that if I ever came out of the coma I was in I would be in a wheel chair the rest of my life. My skull had many fractures. And my brain had been through a lot. I still have quite a memory loss. I have had to relearn how to walk, relearn how to talk and basically relearn how to do many things. My Doctor that has helped me the most is Dr. Todd Cook in Provo.
My biggest frustration has been people try to tell me, you can't do that. How do they or even I know, if I don't try.
I know that Tori was in the water for 20 minutes. I did not have that happen to me. But for her to still be here means she is a fighter and she still has a mission here.
Hang in there Tori. I learned, if there is something I want to do, I have to find a different way to do it.

Thank you 2News @ 10pm

Tim, Maria and Tori met up with Fields Moseley and his crew of 2 News @ 10PM. They were at the house around 6pm. They asked questions and shot for a long hour before heading to "The Dance Club" in Orem in order to present live from there. This was on Channel 2 in Utah of course.

The piece aired on our beloved Tori Schmanski and her upcoming trip to China was fantastic. Grandma Schmanski, Tori, Maria, Tim and Brendan did very well in front of the camera. Whitney was at Dance at the time.

Here is the Link to the video on the kutv.com site.

Love,
-Guy

The Daily Herald published an article about Tori and her upcoming journey to China today. Tim and the rest of the family were interviewed recently regarding the stem cell treatment that Tori is scheduled to undergo in just a few days now.

You will find the article here.

From the article: "Tori Schmanski may not be aware of it, but she's about to go on a trip that could change her life." ...

The article is part of the Paper's top stories this morning and can be found at http://www.harktheherald.com/. You can read the posted comments on the article here from registered readers of the newspaper.

Happy new year to all of you and your loved ones. May it bring good health to all that we care for and Tori in particular,
-Guy

Hello and Happy New Year to all!!

Well the holidays are finally wrapping up down and we all could probably use a holiday from the holidays as well. Tori didn't get sick after all and has been doing pretty well. She has also had numerous visitors throughout the past four days. She spent much of her time in her wheelchair amongst the family in the kitchen and family room of the house. She has had two mild 'startle seizures' though and we're not sure on if there is anything else we can do for them as she is already on Keppra and Depakene which are core medications in preventing them. I found some information on Startle Epilepsy but don't believe that is what Tori has. It is more likely Hyperekplexia caused by the injury to her brainstem. We will continue to do our best NOT to startle her I guess.

Tori will have her baclofen pump refilled on Thursday and she will also have her next round of botox injections and she is certainly due for them. Tori's muscle tone and tightness continues to grow worse as the botox eventually wears off. Having this done prior to the trip to China is absolutely necessary and given the seizure and other challenges from the last injection, they are going to put her under anesthesia this time. The last botox injections were a little rough on everyone from Grandma Schmanski, Maria and the doctors and nurses doing the injections...

Tori's passport still isn't in hand but as far I am told there are no issues and it SHOULD be processed by Wednesday or Thursday of this week. Then we'll pay for the expedited within 24 hour visas. We will all just feel MUCH better when this is finalized and the needed passports and visas are in hand...

We hope and pray that the new year brings more miracles and continued progress for Tori as well as strength for all of us helping in and supporting her journey. While her progression has been painfully slow lately our love, devotion and dedication to her always remains. Our hopes are high on the China trip and the stem cell injections Tori will receive. A breakthrough in her progress would certainly be welcomed. Michael's trip is almost complete and I found these two updates (One and Two) on the Deering sisters who arrived in China in early December. After reading those promising articles I was brought back down to earth somewhat after reading another one about America's continued loss of ground in stem cell research ... "The United States also possesses something other countries cannot buy or steal: the breadth and depth of its scientific prowess." Absolutely agree!! So let's get off our moral high ground, get moving and start using this prowess!! This fantastic article from the United Kingdom is right on - "When George Bush banned funding he effectively put researchers into quarantine"... Thankfully there still is SOME privately funded stem cell research going on here at home at prestigious schools like Harvard.

In closing tonight and for the past year, we are truly blessed, humbled and grateful for all of the love, prayers, thoughts and support directed towards Tori and our family. Whether from friends, family, the community or from complete strangers, it DOES have an impact on ALL of us. I'm often still pleasantly surprised and sometimes moved when a stranger recognizes me, approaches and declares "I Pray 4 Tori every day". Please, please never stop doing that!! That includes the prayers as well as the approach and comments. This gives us strength and helps keep us all going as we encounter feelings of happiness and hope along with sadness and despair each and every day... It is very hard to not long for how it once was and most often this brings only pain and sorrow. Focusing our thoughts on Tori now, her healing and her recovery is much more productive and where our thoughts need to be. Each day is a gift.

Sincerely,

The Schmanski Family
Tim, Maria, Tori, Whitney and Brendan

Hello,

Tori and the rest of us have been recovering nicely from all of the Christmas activities although I had a bad case of the 24 hour flu all day Wednesday and Wednesday night... Upset stomach, muscle aches, head ache and the cold chills... It wasn't very fun but I feel much better today and I isolated myself from Tori so hopefully she won't or hasn't caught it...

I say 'hope she hasn't caught it' because Tori had a pretty rough Wednesday night as well... She was miserable throughout the night and we had to use lortab, xanax and zanaflex multiple times to try and calm her down. She was didn't sleep hardly at all so we are hoping she can catch up on that today.

The China trip planning continues each and every day. I have contacted each airline and have arranged for special assistance and they will be prepared for our arrival. I also have approval to bring Tori's liquid medications and food through the airport checkin. I don't know why but even with all of this preparation I'm not real confident we can make it through without any issues... Prepare as much as you can and expect the worst I guess and hopefully we will be pleasantly surprised. We shall see.

Tori's passport issue still is not resolved... I am in daily contact with the Passport Agency support center and currently there aren't any more known hold ups and the passport is being 'processed'. They won't give you a confirmed complete time either which is very frustrating... I've now been told if there are no further issues identified the passport should be sent sent anytime between now and next Tuesday... ARGH... Once we actually get her passport we can submit for our China visas. Most visa service companies advertise 3-5 business day turnarounds but I have found one that advertises 24 hour turnaround. We'll probably end up using it just so we can have everything in hand ASAP!!

Maria and Grandma Schmanski played alot of hand written card games with Tori Wednesday and Tori aced almost every question. Word games and even math problems were presented to her and she would acknowledge the correct answer by staring at it or lifting her head while staring at it. Grandma is convinced Tori can read and can read some French as well because they also played with French words at times.

Alright, that is about it for now.

Thank you all as always!!

-Tim