Thursday, March 14, 2013

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to California we go...

...for treatments...

Monday morning Liam and I will be packing up and heading to California for a couple of months. Unfortunately Patrick has to stay home and work, but he will be able to join us for a week in April.

This all came together rather quickly.
We had been researching alternative medical treatments for Liam since before his official diagnosis back in 2010. Since all of the doctors we saw in the beginning blew us off and chalked Liam's list of symptoms, including three hours of daily screaming and two weeks at a time of constipation, up to 'autism' with no hope for helping him, we went to alternative doctors.
Naturopathic Doctors, Doctors of Osteopath and MAPS (Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs) doctors. I researched for hours and hours every day, learned about the chemical pathways, Kreb's cycle, methylation pathways, mitochondrial dysfunction, detox and so on.

We now know through specialized lab testing that Liam has brain inflammation, intestinal inflammation, heavy metal toxicity ( lead, mercury and aluminum), damaged methylation pathways and some chemical conversion issues caused by the previously listed problems.
Thank goodness we didn't chalk it all up to 'autism' and throw in the towel.

Liam has come a long ways since those days and we are so grateful for the improvements he has made. Now we are on to the next treatment and hope that he will be able to recover further.
If it happens, great. If not, there are always more options out there to help him.
The main goal in all of this is to give him the best chance possible for a happy, independent future.

When Liam first received his diagnosis we were given zero hope. In fact the specialists told us to look at long term care facilities to have him placed in because of the severity of his autism.
They were convinced that he wouldn't be able to make any significant progress. But we had hope. We knew the child he once was. We knew what he was really capable of and we didn't give up.
HE didn't give up.
I am amazed to this day to see how far he has come. And I know he has the potential to go even further.

I will be updating as we go along.
This will be a trying time being away from home for so long. Away from Patrick, my parents and grandparents. Our routine is going to be completely different and we will be living out of a hotel.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

~Susie

6 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing a glimpse of Liam. Prayers for the next few months.

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  2. Love and prayers! You go Momma Bear!!!

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  3. Thank you for sharing your story and updating..my sincere wishes for you and your son, you mentioned that he had aluminum/mercury poisoning, was this traced back to vaccines? I hope this time away from home will exceed ur expectations and be smooth for you both, all the best

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  4. Thank you for your well wishes.

    Yes, mercury and aluminum toxicity is from vaccines. Lead has been traced back to a few toys and paint in an old house we rented.

    Things continue to improve down here. I will be updating again soon.

    ~Susie

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