Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Obama ends stem cell funding ban

US President Barack Obama has lifted restrictions on federal funding for research on new stem cell lines.

Mr Obama signed an executive order in a major reversal of US policy, pledging to "vigorously support" new research.

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For many years I was uncertain as to what I believed in regarding Embryonic Stem Cell Research. It didn't quite settle with me as being ethical. I'm not going to go into how it's killing a child. While I believe embryos are without any doubts babies-to-be, I can't be certain that they are much more beyond that while yet so tiny. Atleast perhaps I don't want to know.

My views on this type of research has changed since my nerve damage has become so severe and spreading.

In an excerpt from the above titled article it says "

Stem cells are cells with the capacity to turn into any other type of human cell, be it bone, muscle or nerve cell.

One embryo can provide a limitless supply because the cell lines can be grown indefinitely"

This could end up saving my life in all 3 examples. Especially nerve cell. While it may not happen in my own lifetime it could happen in the next generation of people already suffering from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Or Causalgia type 2.

There are children with this illness as well. I breaks my heart to know they endure the pain that I do. To have to be home schooled from bed, losing friends, it's a hard life for me, I can only imagine for them.

While this may sound morbid, I wish there was a way (unless it exists already and I am not aware of it) for those woman who choose to have an early termination of their pregnancy to donate their embryo. At least those babies to be would still have use. The mother may not have been able to grow her embryo or fetus to full term for whatever reason that caused the decision, but the embryo itself could still have use to learn from.

I'm against abortion as a form of birth control. What I mean is that when a woman and man have sex and the only birth control they use is abortion. No, I do not like that. At all.

But... under personal circumstances, it's not my business what a woman does with her body. God knows I've been there. A year after I was injured, I conceived, I was told our baby would not be born normal because of all the xrays I'd had un protected, all the class C drugs I was on, the strenuous physical therapy and the weight gain would have hindered my being able to walk again. If I knew then what I know and have endured anyway now, I would have told them to go to hell. A sacrifice that brought me no closer to healing and instead continued on it's path to no return.

I have to live with it the rest of my life. The candle that's lit every year on the same day is my remorse. It hurts. But I signed the paper, there was no gun to my head.

I'll most likely be judged for telling that, but when you're living on borrowed time it really doesn't matter anymore. My book is an open one. Judgment day will come either way.

Had I had a choice to donate him... I surely would have. I don't know if he would have been too ill or if his cells would have still had use, but if they did, that's what my choice would have been. I think I could have even been happier in a way. The ugly memories haunt me.

I just wish it wasn't this way that it has to be done to save lives and help people live longer. Reduce or end the pain and suffering. I really wish that it wasn't. But they say it is and I have to support that. In it lies hope.

As life moves forward and we learn knew things, we grow in some areas, we discover even others, our outlooks sometime alters. Mine has.

This has the potential of saving millions of lives. Science moves forward everyday. I'm more in favor of non embryonic research where they use the water from a woman's placenta. It just does not have the same capabilities. If it did, I would be more in favor of it.

I am in favor of Embryonic Stem Cell Research and now that the funding ban has ended will begin advocating for it as well.

The original article can be found at: BBC World News America

Until next time...