Gearing Up

We got a call this afternoon from the neurology nurse regarding the ketogenic diet that Annie will begin next Tuesday. If all goes well, she will experience a decrease in seizure activity, maybe as soon as the first week on the diet. My goal is that her three seizure medicines will be eliminated, which could take weeks or months to wean off. That would be best case scenario. Most kids who are on this diet, stay on it for at least 2 years, and then gradually move back to eating regular food. The good thing for us is that they have a Ketogenic formula I can use in her g-tube. She'll be in-patient at Children's until at least Friday, as they monitor her electrolytes, and her general adjustment to this high-fat, low-carb diet.

I talked to the dietician about Annie's preference for salty, crunchy food, and she said that bacon and pork rinds are on the diet. Mmm, mmm, good. Annie did eat cooked carrots for the first time the other night, so maybe I'll be able to move her toward more healthy food choices. But the fat in the diet is what shuts off the seizures, so there's plenty of fat on her list of allowed foods. Can you say "ma-yo-naise??"

We would sure appreciate your prayers for a smooth transition to this new diet, and that her electrolytes remain STABLE. Obviously, because Annie's metabolic system is whacked out by the Addison's disease, she will be watched like a hawk by her doctors. And Mother.

The whole thing is a risk, but because she is on three seizure medicines, and is still having at least 6-10 drop seizures a day (I haven't said anything about it, because I keep thinking they'll go away), I believe it's a worthwhile thing to do. Again--we would appreciate your prayers for her, for the kids at home, for the doctors, and for us.

Jean

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Ephesians 3:20-21