James Eilert

My Story:

In 2006, at the age of 34, James Eilert had a major heart attack. His left anterior descending artery was 100% blocked. The heart attack left James with severe heart damage. James’ ejection fraction was down to 20-25% (the normal range is 55% - 75%). The diagnosis was Class III NYHA Heart Failure.
James attacked his heart rehabilitation process with a passion. He started jogging and biking daily. Having lost 90 lbs in six months, he was feeling a little better. The problem remain that a large section of his heart muscle was dead, and he was feeling weaker each day. James kept working as an automotive engineer, but it was becoming more of a strain to keep up with the demands of his job along with his exercise regimen.
It eventually became too much and James stopped exercising. He gained back 50 pounds and became depressed. James had almost lost hope. That was when James happened upon the stem cell treatment option. James prepared for a trip to Bangkok, Thailand with new hope of using his own adult stem cells to heal his heart.
After arriving in Bangkok, James was well taken care of by the TheraVitae team and the doctors and nurses at the Phyathai 2 Hospital. On November 14, 2007, James received 41 million of his own adult stem cells administered via catheter to his damaged heart muscle.
James was told by doctors that the stem cells would take about six to eight weeks to take affect. James was pleasantly surprised that the doctors were wrong. After about a week and a half, James had an echocardiogram and found out the “dead” part of his heart had life again.
As time went by, James kept improving. “Little by little, I was able to do the things I couldn’t do anymore due to my heart attack,” James said. Six months after his stem cell treatment, the doctors lifted all of their previous restrictions.
Ten months after his stem cell therapy, James was working seven days a week once more. He was re-diagnosed as Class I instead of Class III Heart Failure. His ejection fraction is now at 50-55%.
James no longer gasps for breath or sweats all the time. James is exercising again, and trying to lose some more weight. James can now jog at six miles per hour for short periods.

James had some kind words for the people at Phyathai 2 Hospital and VesCell, “Thank you so much for providing this service and giving people like myself the option to fight for our survival instead of meekly submitting to the icy kiss of death as so many others have. I think even my old drill sergeants would be proud."
James hopes other heart disease patients know that there is hope for those who have been given little hope. He wants them to “keep fighting!”