Samsmom: Life, Joy, Loss and Loving your Mitochondria

Today we came to the conclusion that it’s time to take Samantha off the ketogenic diet. It’s been a good run; 2 1/2 years on this super high-fat, seizure controlling diet. But 2 1/2 years of eating nothing but olive oil, butter, cream and an occasional teeny, tiny carb has had its toll on her body.

Her pancreas is inflamed, her blood is lipemic, her cholesterol is through the roof and she is very lethargic.

An ultra sound today revealed that her pancreas is in worse shape than 2 months ago….time to make a change.

We will start the wean tomorrow; slowly introducing her new, carb friendly diet.

What does this mean?

We have great seizure control on the diet and we have not had to make a med change. If she weans off, we have no idea how her seizure activity will be.

If she stays on the diet, she will have seizure control but it will continue to compromise her liver, pancreas and kidneys.

Great options, huh?

So tomorrow, 8:00 am, it begins. We will wean her in the hospital so we have access to the big-dog seizure meds and super-smart specialists should we need them.

I found myself at Super Target looking for new underwear after my conversation with the doctors. Myself and I mulled over this by the briefs…..

What are you afraid of?

That she will seize, and seize and seize and we won’t be able to stop it. That the diet was the one thing giving us an ounce of control in Samantha’s life.

What if it’s not? What if she has some seizures, we adjust her meds, and she does okay? What if, for the first time in 2 1/2 years, you could actually give her a healthy, blended diet, with food that is good for her body and not hard on her system?

What if she’s not okay?

Well what if she is?

Myself had a point….we just don’t know and we just need to try….for the health of Samantha’s very important organs….we need to try.

So I bought myself a pair of neon-green polka dotted panties. I will call them my big-girl, anti-seizure pants.

I will wear them tomorrow….and the next day….and the next.