re: blood levels

[Guest guest]

This is an important message: For any parent who has a child on seizure

medication it is VERY important to continue to get frequent blood testing to

measure levels. Many drugs  can interfere with protein binding that makes the

seizure medication either more efficient or more toxic. No new drug or herbal

remedy should be taken without first consulting your physician.

From: kiddietalk <kiddietalk@...>

Subject: [ ] Incredible update from Robin -please read and

share!

Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010, 1:31 PM

 

(If you have a child on nutriiveda and seizure medication, please contact me

lisacherab (DOT) org There are doctors now that want to study what you are about to

read)

Nutriiveda…a life saver!

Robin Ketchum called me from the ICU at a Georgia hospital today. " Our 26 year

old `Real Life Little Mermaid' Mel is in intensive care right this moment and

she almost died yesterday. " Before I go on I want each one reading this to stop

and please say a prayer for that she is out of the hospital and home

well soon.

Robin was not supposed to be using her cell phone but felt it was that important

to reach out to me to update Mel's blog due to what is going on with Mel and

NutriiVeda …and seizures. This is a profound update and one to be taken

seriously by anyone who has a child on seizure medication and nutriiveda.

's doctor is now totally convinced based on what he is seeing that

nutriiveda is " healing 's brain " I'll now explain a bit more in detail

and hope that and her loving family are home from the hospital soon and

Robin can update again herself!

As you may know from reading Mel's blog, who was 25 yeas old when

starting NutriiVeda; went from being almost catatonic, unable to dress, bathe,

feed herself with almost no way to communicate, blank stares into within days

and weeks on nutriiveda a vibrant young woman; eager to catch up on all the time

lost, to talk, play, explore life! as you'll read in her blog has had

profound global apraxia and TBI that went undiagnosed for most of her life which

led to lack of any appropriate therapy. And due to misdiagnosis of mental

retardation and autism and the ABA therapy that came with the autism

misdiagnosis, Mel developed severe post traumatic stress syndrome.

Like most parents with a child today with autism or similar disorders, 's

parents tried everything they could to help their daughter over the past two

decades, and took her from professional to professional. Various treatments,

therapies and even what some today are exploring that I'm not a fan of: off

label medications for autism –in Mel's case the drug for Alzheimer's called

Namenda was tried as well with no success. As Robin puts it most professionals

gave up on –but I never did. How would any of us be if all our life we

were misdiagnosed and treated as if we were mentally retarded and provided with

therapy that was completely inappropriate for us? As bad as that is, Mel's story

got worse. Sometime in 's early 20s in addition to everything else

developed seizures that were life threatening, was in the hospital twice

near death, and had to be put on " high " levels of the seizure medication

Depakote.

If you need to know the details of what happened from day ONE on nutriiveda up

till before the story I'm going to share please read 's entire blog at

http://littlemermai dmelanie. wordpress. com/about What I'm going to share today

is another story of misdiagnosis and another near death moment for - but

this time the story is tied into one of hope and miracles!

As Robin left off on her last messages as anyone can tell – is on her

way to being a normal young woman. Suddenly aware of herself as a woman, other

people around her, and wanting to participate in life's fun and activity every

moment. Robin who was 's primary care giver went from being house bound

to watching 's every moment fearful of another life threatening seizure,

not being able to take to stores or just about anywhere, or a doctor's

appointment at times without sedation, to one who all of a sudden could enjoy

life with her daughters and husband! Life was good and that's where we left off.

Due to the lack of any seizure activity at all Mel's seizure meds were reduced a

few times. There were no seizures and no more " episodes of post traumatic stress

syndrome " that the Ketchum family feared. Mel was working with a new Prompt

speech pathologist named Martha and was scheduled for a new occupational therapy

appointment.

She was talking not just to people she knew but to people she didn't. And…at

a recent chiropractic office it appears even flirted a bit with the

young handsome doctor who told her how beautiful she was and told her that she

" reminded him of an actress " …so yes, things were on their way!

But about a week ago appeared to regress in all areas. She was once

again unable to feed herself and was not verbal. In addition she was acting very

unusual. At first the belief was that 's seizures were back as well as

the post traumatic stress syndrome. Immediately 's Depakote medication

which had been reduced was ordered back up to the original dosage and Mel was

brought to the hospital. Tests were run but just like history –things were

missed, and misdiagnosed. One thing that was discovered immediately is that

did not have any seizure activity at all. The team of doctors did want

to stay on Nutriiveda because it appeared to be helping her and in

addition it was the only thing that would eat. is up to 6 scoops

a day for therapeutic reasons and she has it mixed into apple sauce. was

not getting any better however. One neurologist ran a series of seizure tests on

and attempted to

trigger a seizure with lights, pain (!!!) everything, even walking for 30

hours-but no seizures at all.

While looking for seizures what was missed is that had somehow developed

pneumonia. Apparently most of the ICU is filled with what is being called a

communicable outbreak of pneumonia in this Georgia area. I found this online

just now when I searched for this `CDC sees sustained H1N1 activity in

Southeast' Mar 26, 2010 http://www.cidrap. umn.edu/cidrap/ content/influenz

a/swineflu/ news/mar2610fluv iew.html The strange thing is that for the first

part of the week had no symptoms at all of being sick. No fever or

coughing- nothing. She did start to complain of pain but of course that was at

first thought to be headaches linked to seizures. Apparently I've been just told

by Robin that pneumonia is painful.

Due to undiagnosed pneumonia however 's brain, heart, and kidneys were

all at risk. What the doctors and Mel's family are convinced of is that " Mel

saved her kidneys " " She knew to drink lots of water to flush out her kidneys "

What is incredible about this is that when first started nutriiveda she

never liked to drink anything. It was a struggle to make sure she had enough

hydration –but due to nutriiveda learned to be more in touch with her

body's needs and knew she needed water. If she did not drink all the water she

did (she even got the cup and filled up the water on her own!!) she would have

needed a new kidney by now. Why? Apparently in addition to her body dealing with

pneumonia….her doctors discovered that the Depakote seizure medication that

had been on for the past 4 years was now at a toxic level in her body as

(I'm going to bold this on purpose) HER BODY NO LONGER NEEDED IT!!!!

Yesterday morning almost died from all that went on –but that little

trooper pulled through. A series of more tests, EEG, MRI etc were run and there

are a number of unexplainable changes in 's brain " due to NutriiVeda "

according to the doctors. From 3 years ago 's brain is " healing " and

" normal " There is no doubt that by the " end of this year will be off all

seizure medication " and that she is " not to stop taking NutriiVeda every day "

The head charge nurse hearing all of this went to Robin to find out more

information for her mother who has suffered from seizures all her life and after

hearing more wanted NutriiVeda for her mom. Robin gave her one of her own

canisters, but the nurse refused to take it without paying J

And this brings me to why Robin felt it so important to update Mel's blog today.

For any parent who has a child with seizures on medication it is VERY important

to get frequent blood testing to measure levels. 's level when it went

toxic from Depakote seizure medication went to 145 which is toxic –the doctors

do not want it to be any higher than 50 for right now. To reiterate they

expect her to be OFF all seizure medication by the " end of this year " (YAY!!!)

Again the " only explanation " for this is that NutriiVeda is " healing 's

brain " due to not only the changed reaction in the medication she was always on

–but the actual neuro tested changes in her brain!!! This is just amazing!

The one other point I want to make is that prior to the heavy

antibiotics was talking to her nurses and asking to go home. " I am not sick. Can

I go home now please? " She was verbal and able to answer yes and no questions as

well as ask the nurses for " lunch " " to drink juice " " a movie " and other things

she wanted! But right now is no longer talking but we just know once she

is off of the antibiotics and able to get back to her 6 scoops a day of

NutriiVeda she'll back to her new self! The high dosage of antibiotics were

started last night and is not allowed to eat any foods due to choking

fear so for the next day or so more she will not unfortunately be on NutriiVeda

- the incredible NutriiVeda for a few more days; the same NutriiVeda that now

more than just her family is crediting with " saving Mel's life " We don't know if

NutriiVeda kept Mel from having the symptoms of being sick that in turn made it

difficult to diagnose her

accurately but we have to be thankful that her pneumonia was diagnosed. As I

write this now is still in ICU. Robin is thankful that the hospital is

letting her sleep and shower there so that she can stay with 24/7 till

she makes it through this. The fever has broken and the hope is that can

go home sometime early next week. Please again take a moment to say a prayer for

our " Real Life Little Mermaid " Ketuchum. The poor thing has been through

so much- she needs the chance to live her life that she never had and was just

beginning to have. And…to perhaps flirt with that handsome young doctor again!

J

you have all of my prayers. And Robin you are our hero! And to all the

professionals out there –please read this and remember that things are not

always how to appear. Please take the time to know that each case is not only

unique –but a life. And in this case –'s life.

Thank you.

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