UPDATE-BRAZIL

Spiritual
On the spiritual side, my efforts continue at the casa with John of
God, who I call Elvis. I sit in meditation and prayer and try to
connect with the healing energy available from above and at the casa.
My faith is always intact but my enthusiasm runs the range from high to
low given how I feel that day. Some days I feel blissful physical
vibrations in my body, I am thankful to be alive, for my children and I
feel connected to all around me. Other days I am frustrated, tired of
my predicament and doubtful. The spirit vs. body.

Something new for me--Oselinda and I have been reading the Bible. As a
Catholic, I am embarrassed to admit that I previously never read the
Bible. I was too skeptical, too cool and above it all. She bought an
English/Portuguese bible that's easy to read together. We usually read
just a little bit at a time and follow-up with prayer. It is a great
teaching, obviously an engaging story and never fails to inspire and
shift my perspective, which is needed daily.

Visa
We again are trying to get a visa to the U.S. for Oselinda, which is an
extraordinarily difficult task as 99% of all Brazilians are denied (the
heavy exodus of Brazilians to the U.S. in recent years has prompted a
very strict policy with the State Department). We were unexpectedly
denied the 1st time and we have applied for reconsideration. Our
tactic is for me to acquire residency status here in Brazil and to
better document Oselinda's ties with Brazil (need to demonstrate that
she has every motive to return to Brazil). My hope is that we'll get
a big break and I'll soon be home with my children and Oselinda in
California (with me being spectacularly healthy, of course). No harm
in dreaming big!

Israel stem cell
Another dilemma topic. Highly reputable doctors from Hadassah
University Hospital in Israel have agreed to treat me with a very
experimental bone marrow stem cell treatment in January 2007. I will
have to be there for 2 months. It's probably the most logical treatment
available at this time for ALS and the science makes sense. However, I
am not convinced that it will really work. The procedure has a great
history for leukemia, some history for MS and virtually none for ALS.
Several ALS patients have tried the treatment with some benefit, but
there are not available for discussion. As expected, two stem cell
experts in the U.S. I spoke with discouraged me from pursuing this
treatment because the lack of science and suggested I wait for
something better.

Hmm…time is not my friend and I ask myself what better do I have to do
with 20K and a month or two? Dr. Moviglia in Argentina? (been there,
done that). Dr. Huang in China? (3-month bounce and then poof).
Dominican Republic "stem cells"? (dubious). Snake toxin? (an ALS buddy
tried this—it doesn't work). Mexico infirmary BS? Wait 10 years for
embryonic stem cells in US? Or do nothing other than BNG (Chinese
herbs) and John of God in Brazil--not a bad combo but only of some
effect and for (probably) a finite period of time. I need to make some
decisions.

I think of JFK, one of personal heroes, who once said to a gathering of
university students:

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face
is marred by dust and sweat and blood.... who knows the great
enthusiasms, the great devotions: who spends himself at a worthy cause;
who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and....if
he fails, at least fails daring greatly, so that his place shall never
be with those cold timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

I know that I am squarely within the arena with sweat, dust and blood.
I refuse sit on my hands and I am hopeful that a miracle is within me!

Stay tuned and I'll let you know how this turns out.

Many blessings and all my love,

David

Ps. Hey, you are invited to come stay with me in Brazil. Be bold, come
check it out—good times guaranteed.

__________________________________
David Ames
Larkspur, Calif. 415 927-1493
Abadiania, Brazil 011 5562 3343 1482
Skype; david.ames

Abadiania. Brazil

Abadiania. Brazil
Back in Abadiania, life is calm, comfortable and positive. Carlos, my
long time helper, and his infectious humor are back on board full time.
We are like brothers, always laughing, and he gets along well with
Oselinda. I have moved back into the same house I always have rented.
The beautiful garden is flourishing and yummy food is always cooking
in the kitchen. My domestic set up is optimal.

I started working with a local physical therapist at 3 times a week.
She does a good job in pushing me to move, exercise and stretch every
muscle in my body. This is helping. I also started working with a
local natural medical doctor who prescribes natural medicine from in
and around the Amazon. This local healer, Roberto, lives on a farm and
has been doing this for more than 60 years. He studied under his
father, who recently died at 103 years old. There are many stories of
local people with grave illnesses returning to health under his care
after Western doctors gave up hope. This includes Oselinda's mother.

Roberto has prescribed for me a battery of medicines, which Oselinda
prepares daily. She cooks it into a hot brew and rubs on to my body
and other medicines to drink as strong teas throughout the day. There
also are natural oils. Aside from stabilization, nothing noticeable
yet. As with all treatments, we will wait and see. It feels good
that the medicines are natural and that Roberto integrates a deeply
spiritual component -- he always says it's up to God.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS,
DAVID
_

PIZZA BOY

GREETINGS
Florianopolis is a beautiful place in the south of Brazil— quiet,
clean beaches. We stayed at a low-key beachside hotel where I
recuperated my nerves from a long journey. We took long walks/rolls on
the beach (she pushed me on the hard sand) and got in the pool for a
little exercise. I am a high maintenance guy and a lot to work for 1
person 24/7. My plan was to hire somebody to help out, however,
Oselinda did all— bathroom, bathing, food, wheelchair transfers,
exercise, etc.. Simply incredible that she could do it all. Ah, when
God closes a door, he opens a window.

Pizza-boy
A small setback was my face plant accident--this was a doozy. While
leaving a shopping center, we were distracted by many people and cars
and did not notice a curb. I was launched on to the pavement face
first—ouch. I can attest that gravity is alive and well in Brazil!
What a mess I was. I will save you the bloody details, but I will let
you know that my named appropriately changed to "pizza boy". We
decided to stay a few more days in Florianopolis to allow time for me
to heal up and recuperate My face healed quickly (now, if my body
could do just the same).

Physical trauma can be an accelerator to ALS and indeed I hit a brief
downward ramp with some of my symptoms. Naturally, this is
disheartening. Fortunately, Oselinda's unwavering faith (she always
says "with God, anything is possible") and warm smile made me feel
better. Together, we worked to reach a stable plateau.
Happy holidays

Happy holidays and greetings from Brazil!

Here's an update on my crazy life.

SF to Florianopolis, Brazil:
I left California on November 19th because I missed Oselinda, needed to work
on her visa to the U.S. and hoped for another surge of spiritual healing.

My sweet cousin Eulalia accompanied me from SFO to Miami. Poor thing, she
got sick and threw-up during the entire flight. At 1 point, she was changing
my socks and suddenly started to vomit. She grabbed a barf bag, threw-up,
and kept right on changing my socks. We provided entertainment for the other
passengers and I assured her that a flight attendant could ever do that.

She is a core part of my team and I love her dearly. We had some good laughs
and parted ways on the gang way in Miami for my flight to Sao Paulo. My solo
trip to Sao Paulo was smooth and I was assisted by a flight attendant from
Chile who has 2 friends with ALS. I did not need to explain anything and she
was always right there when needed.

I arrived at the airport in Sao Paulo exhausted, sleep deprived and excited
to see Oselinda. After searching for each other for 40 minutes, I connected
with Oselinda while being pushed down a random airport hallway. We were both
speechless and in tears. I felt safe and joy as she hugged me. We traveled
to Florianopolis, a nearby beach town, with wide grins. This was her 1st
time to see the ocean. I asked if she was excited to see the ocean and she
replied that it didn't matter where she was as long as she was with me (good
answer).

More tomorrow & HAPPY HOLIDAYS,

DAVID