C. delivers a few surprises

Heeding those cardiologists who treated my Takotsubo, we've finally, for the very first time,
hired somebody to help us care for C. Somehow, inexplicably, I now have less time to blog. So quite a lot has happened since my last update.

C. has amazed us all - including the doctors - with an unexpected turnaround. While on Prednisone to treat her malfunctioning liver, she took to screaming a lot so the gastro instructed us to wean her off it. Since she'd only been on it for ten days, we can't really attribute her improved liver to it. Nevertheless, for some reason, she is no longer suffering from Ascites, nor from fluid retention in her feet, legs, hands or face. It's uncanny.

There's a slim possibility that the L-Carnitine which the gastro prescribed two weeks ago deserves some credit for the change. It's a supplement that sometimes benefits the liver. But after two weeks? I wouldn't bet on it.

Presumably, this is why the gastro/liver specialist now believes that her liver has been repairing itself. Does this mean he has ditched his diagnosis of Chronic Autoimmune Hepatitis? Is he now convinced that the Valproic Acid - which we weaned C. off as soon as we learned that her liver was damaged - was the culprit after all? Perhaps. (If he does, then he and I are on the same page.)

We'll find out at our next appointment. Details like that don't really interest us know. We're just revelling in the new reality.

Along with the liver improvement, we've seen an equally surprising drop in seizure activity. That's happening with Keppra at 750 mg twice/day and Cannabis raised from 19 drops 3 times a day to 20 drops. We've finally been able to raise C.'s Cannabis dosage because the government just issued C. a new license with the increased dosage that her neurologist requested.

On the functioning front, C. has also astounded us. She has gradually resumed placing the spoon in her mouth to feed herself; today she performed that feat at her peak. She's also been standing and walking somewhat better than she has over the last two months - albeit while screaming quite a bit of the time. Protesting an activity she doesn't like is progress for C. So we're not complaining about that.

Of course, we aren't deluding ourselves. This isn't our first time down the road of miraculous improvement and we're well aware it can lead right back to deterioration and despair.

But for now, we're savoring the respite, the calm and the sweet taste of progress.