Stem Cell Research

Last night on the news there was a brief news story about a stem cell research trial that improved vision in patients with macular degeneration.  It's all Grandpa has been able to talk about since last night because we were told last year that his only hope of getting his vision back would be some sort of stem cell research.  When the news clip was on, I was outside shoveling the driveway so I had to look it up online when I came in.

I spent an hour today looking through current clinical trials and nothing seems to be appropriate for Grandpa, yet.  When (or if) something does open up, he might not even meet the criteria to participate.  He doesn't qualify for any kind of macular degeneration study, but the current research does make us hopeful that there will be something to come along that could fit Grandpa.  One thing that may pose a problem is his age, but the woman on the news last night was in her 70s, which is part of the reason Grandpa has been so excited about this.

We were told to keep our eye on the east coast because that would most likely be where the research would be conducted.  Grandpa is so hopeful and I can only imagine how drastically his life would change if his vision came back.  Last time Gunner was here running around, I was looking at him and couldn't imagine never seeing his face.  Nolan and Madeline have changed so much, too.  We try and tell Grandpa to remember the upsides and focus on the things he still has.  I suppose it is a lot easier said, though.  I haven't been in complete darkness for the last twenty months.

I don't know how to go about getting Grandpa on a waiting list, or if there even is a waiting list.  If there's something out there that could turn this around, I hope I can find it.