Joy, I saved the e-mail that Jim Finn sent in about his pig-cell implant.
Here it is:

Date: Sun, 3 Nov 1996 16:29:12 -0500
From: Jim Finn <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: IMPORTANT: I've had the pig-cell implant
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]>

>On Tuesday, September 24, 1996, I underwent the new, highly experimental, and
>much talked
>about procedure for the implant of pig fetus brain cells. As you probably
>know, this is the latest
>attempt at finding some relief for the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Even
>the word "cure"
>has been used; but only in the most hushed of whispers. The following is an
>account of what
>happened before, during, and after this surgery. I hope that my experiences
>will be of some
>benefit to you. If you have any questions after reading this article, I will
>be more than happy to
>respond to them. However, please be patient as it may take me a couple of
>days to get back to
>you.
>
>Some background information on me. I am a white male, age 48, and have had
>PD for 16 or 17
>years. The symptoms include poor walking, poor speech, poor handwriting,
>extreme fatigue, and
>mild tremor. I've tried all the current medications (Sinemet, Sinemet CR,
>Amantadine, Eldepryl,
>ect). The only one that is of any use (and that has become very limited) is
>Sinemet. And even
>that is highly unpredictable with severe "on/off" performance. Eldepryl,
>while it did provide some
>relief, had to be stopped because of horrible side-effects (sudden projectile
>vomiting).
>
>For the past 10 or 11 years I have been under the care of Robert G. Feldman,
>MD. He is the
>Chief of Neurology at the Boston University Medical Center Hospital (now
>known as the Boston
>Medical Center). His private offices are at The Neurological Referral
>Center, in the Doctor's
>Office Building at the hospital. I believe that Dr. Feldman and his superb
>staff provided me with
>the best possible care. However, after 15 years of dealing with Parkinson's,
>it was obvious that I
>was entering the "end stage" of this hideous disease. It was at this point
>(June 1996) that Dr.
>Feldman introduced me to an associate of his, Dr. Samuel Ellias, also of The
>Neurological
>Referral Center. Dr. Ellias is the chief contact-person between Boston
>Medical Center and
>Diacrin Corp., the developers of this new approach to PD.
>
>After several interviews with Dr. Ellias, including a talk about pallidotomy,
>he asked if I would be
>interested in looking into Diacrin's program. I was more than willing; I was
>desperate. I had
>rejected the idea of a pallidotomy; it didn't (and still doesn't) make any
>sense to me to "burn-out"
>a part of my brain. It just wasn't logical to me. What if I needed it in
>the future? What did appeal
>to my sense of logic was the "addition" of something. And that, essentially,
>was what was being
>proposed. Due to my age, length of time with Parkinson's, and my motivation,
>Dr. Ellias found
>me to be an ideal candidate for the program.
>
>Several very long weeks passed while everything was put into place. Strict
>protocol had to be
>achieved and maintained for the results, either good OR bad, to have any
>meaning to the
>medical community. Literally mountains of paperwork were generated between
>the Federal Drug
>Administration, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Medical Center,
>Neurological Referral
>Center, Diacrin Corp., and the Lahey-Hitchcock Clinic, to name a few. After
>all of this was taken
>care of, they were ready to begin pre-operation testing.
>
>So, in August, the real work started. As they explained, it was essential
>that a "base-line" of my
>performance was fully documented. This included all of those tests we're so
>familiar with:
>Walking, balance, foot tapping, handwriting, ect. In addition there was a
>VERY tiring battery of
>neurological/psychological tests. Of course, there were unending visits to
>the labs for blood
>work. You must be willing to go through all of these tests; but be prepared
>to be exhausted by
>them.
>
>As the date for the operation neared, the examinations became more intense.
> There were CAT
>scans. There were MRI scans. Don't be nervous about them. The idea of
>being placed inside
>of a machine really bothers some people. Luckily, I am not one of them. But
>be prepared for a
>scan that I found to be pretty rough. It's called a PET scan. It is similar
>to an MRI but you will
>have your head tied down while you're in the machine for two and a half
>HOURS. To make
>matters worse, they will inject a substance into a vein in one arm while they
>draw blood out of an
>artery on the other. This will take place after you've been without
>medication for eight to twelve
>hours and without food for at least that long. I had a bad reaction to some
>pre-scan pills; severe
>diarrhea and blacking-out. At the end of that day I was a complete wreck.
>
>After going through all of the testing, and apparently "passing," I finally
>met with Dr. James
>Schumacher of the Lahey-Hitchcock Clinic. He is the surgeon who actually
>performs the
>operation. And it is he who has the final say as to whether or not the
>procedure is done. And
>here I hit a roadblock. I was informed by him that I must have an HIV test
>and it must come back
>"negative." For two days my entire life was on "hold" while waiting for the
>results. Fortunately,
>all was well. But it seems to me this test should have been performed MUCH
>earlier, rather than
>waiting until just before the operation.
>
>The operation was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, September 3rd. After the
>long ride from
>southern Rhode Island to Burlington, Massachusetts I was informed that there
>had been a
>technical problem with the harvested pig cells. And that the surgery could
>not take place for
>another three weeks. You cannot imagine what a let-down this was.
>
>
>Finally, The Big Day arrives. I had to be at Lahey at 6:30 AM for some
>last-minute lab work and
>for the mounting of a special frame to my skull. This will be rather
>graphic, but it is the best way
>to inform you as to what to expect. In order for the doctors to be able to
>guide the needle into
>the brain, a special frame must be, literally, bolted to the head. It is
>attached at four points with
>aluminum screws. Yes, they use a lot of local anesthetic; but I was aware of
>some pain anyway.
>It's really not as bad as it sounds, but it wasn't a picnic, either.
>
>After the mounting, I was rolled around the hospital for yet another MRI scan
>and one last CAT
>scan. Then, after waiting in a holding area, it was up to the operating
>room. Here I was given a
>sedative to help me relax and a shot of local anesthetic to the skull. Yes,
>you are AWAKE during
>the operation! And you are fully aware of what's going on. Every now and
>then I was asked to
>move my toes or hands. Anyway, they opened up my skull and went in with the
>needle. No, you
>don't feel anything at all! It's just amazing.
>
>About two hours later they were finished and sewed me up. Naturally, I was a
>bit groggy when I
>was returned to the post-operative holding area. But I felt fine and HUNGRY.
> Eventually I was
>sent up to my room. The floor staff couldn't believe that the doctor ordered
>my supper. I ate
>every scrap of it and slept well that night. They gave me a couple of shots
>of codeine for my
>headache.
>
>The next morning (are you ready for this?) I was discharged! It sounds
>impossible, doesn't it?
>And I did well on the trip home. But it was short-lived. I developed a
>headache unlike any
>before it. I very rarely get them; this one was agony and lasted for nearly
>a week. Also, for
>several days I couldn't keep food down. I was really very ill. Dr.
>Schumacher called and said it
>would all pass. And it did. But for a couple of weeks after the operation I
>was even more tired
>and weak than usual.
>
>I was told that there were no guarantees whatsoever that this procedure would
>yield any
>beneficial results. I was invited to participate, as a volunteer, in the
>study to see if this operation
>posed any threats to one's health. In other words, it was a medical safety
>test. I can certainly
>understand the reasons for this. For example, if it cured Parkinson's
>Disease but I dropped dead
>of an unknown virus, the researchers would have to know this. I was the
>eleventh person in the
>world to have this particular implant procedure. I consider myself to be
>very fortunate.
>
>Now, as to what you're waiting for: The Results. I cannot honestly say that
>there have been any
>remarkable changes. One week after the operation, an MRI scan showed that
>the new cells had
>survived. That's a fairly major hurdle. There will be some rather extensive
>testing, starting in
>December, to see what, if any, improvements I've had over the initial
>"base-line" we established
>at the outset of the program. In fact, all of the tests will be repeated;
>including the dreaded PET
>scan.
>
>However, I can say that I am feeling somewhat better. Sleeping has improved,
>I have a bit more
>energy, and I am a little less dyskinetic. I still take Sinemet, and it
>seems to be working a little
>better. These changes, while noticeable, are slight. And they may be caused
>by a "placebo"
>effect. Bear in mind that it's only been a month since the implant was
>performed. In theory, no
>positive results are to be expected for the first six months. And, at that,
>no one has any idea how
>long they will last. This is truly leading-edge technology, with great
>promise and possibly
>unknown pitfalls.
>
>I will endeavor to keep you posted as to my progress, or lack thereof.
>
>Jim Finn
>
>E-Mail < [log in to unmask] >
>
>