Flying to Tel Aviv tomorrow to start HSCT treatment on November 2nd.  I am thankful that my father and stepmother have volunteered to go with me and help out.  I am also very grateful for the ridiculous amount of support I have received to help me get to this point.  Thank you all.

There were two fundraisers (that I had zero to do with) put on in my hometown of Windsor, ON.  A lot of people put a lot of work into making these happen, and a lot of people took time out of their own lives to attend and/or contribute.  Thank you.  Also, my wife Anne's parents are Croatian.  The support that the Croatian community has given to my family and I has been unbelievable.  Thank you.  And, in the last few days, many people stopped by, called, emailed, texted, etc., to say goodbye and good luck.  Thank you.

Tough day for me having to leave home.  Reality hit me pretty hard.  But, I think Anne said it best  when she said "this is your shot at having a better life, so you gotta go do it".  Yes, it is, and yes, I do.  That filled me with a different emotion, and I am ready to get on with it.

One of the purposes of this blog is for me to track my progress. Here is a video of me walking earlier today at my dad's house:

Happy Halloween everybody, from my favourite Toopy (Elaina) and Binoo (Aly).

Hello.

My name is Aaron Grover.  I am heading to Tel Aviv, Israel to undergo a stem cell transplant (HSCT) to treat my MS on November 2, 2014.  I want to thank my family for supporting me emotionally these last 5 years, and my family and friends who have helped me financially allowing me to secure paymentfor this treatment.  I am forever grateful.

I am a 37 year old male living in Canada, diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS) in 2009.  My main symptoms are general fatigue, muscle spasticity and weakness in both legs (right leg is worse), right hand weakness, and the occasional tingling sensation in my upper back.  My EDSS score is 5.5.

I plan on leaving my MS behind in Israel, and I want to thank Prof. Shimon Slavin for accepting me to receive this treatment.  I also want to thank George Goss, who's very informative blog (http://themscure.blogspot.ca/) served as a starting point for me.  And, I want to thank all of the people in both the HSCT for Autoimmune Diseases and HSCT in Israel Facebook groups.  The information provided there by group members has been very helpful.

I plan on providing regular updates here about my trip/treatment so I can inform my family and friends on how I am doing,provide information for anybody considering this treatment, and keep a personal record of my progress.

Having read the personal accounts of many people who have undergone HSCT for MS, I realize that the treatment is just the beginning of recovery.  Hard work, a positive attitude, and good health habits will be required going forward.

Again, thank you all for your support.

Aaron Grover