Problem solved!!!!

It just occurred to me today that they might make a Blogger App for my phone! Guess what!? They do! I hope this solves a problem I've had for the last, what...6 or 7 months...I haven't been blogging because I never seem to be near my computer when I have a moment to breathe. So I apologize that I have been MIA, but I think the future looks brighter!

Let me update you all on the last few months with Averie...

My last update Ave had her yearly meeting with Dr. S in Seattle, he thought she was still doing well considering her situation. We adjusted a couple of her non siezure meds and he helped take a leadership roll in regards to her seizure meds. We had major issues with Averie's neuro in Portland...the dr wasn't willing to push the "safe" siezure meds high enough and resorted to putting Averie on Dilantin. Dr. S was not happy about that so we got a wean schedule to get Averie off of it. Apparently it ticked off her neuro and I got a call not long after that from them saying the didn't think they continue caring for her because they didn't like Dr. S changing things. Lol...seriously! Honestly it was a bond that needed to be broken as I was not feeling confident in their care plan. It felt like all we had been doing was playing catch up. Never being able to get on top of the darn seizures. 
About a month later Averie welcomed her new baby sister into the world! Averie is absolutely gaga over her!!! Averie spent the first week with me and then I had my mom take her for what was suppose to be another couple weeks so I could get use to baby without worrying about Averies daily care. When I waved goodbye to my parents and Averie I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach ...I was super emotional and missed her before she was gone! I just had a feeling something wasn't right or somehow I wasn't doing the right thing by sending Averie away. I pushed it out of mind..attributing my emotions to the fact I had JUST had a baby for goodness sakes! Ugh...but before I could blink Averie was in the hospital having a seizure...and it was the same hospital where her old neuro was...the ones who had just divorced us. This single hospital stay didn't last to long,  but then she was back in...a flu bug seemed to be the culprit. She ended up being in out over the next week and I had to let my parents and her dad do all the care since I was still in Idaho. Averie was having a hard time snapping out of a rough seizure pattern, wasn't eating, was having trouble walking. She would start to improve and then get worse again. Finally I couldn't wait any longer and made the drive to Portland, with a 3 week old in tow. I was able to step in and help with Averie's care. It was a total whirlwind with Averie admitted to PICU right after I got there. I was so frustrated because it didn't seem like anyone had a clue what they were doing. My mom happened to be there one morning when Averie started to seize, to her horror they gave Averie ativan to stop the seizure- something we have told them NOT to use...#1 because it takes a ton of it to work and #2 because its hell when she comes off of it. What is even more aggravating is that these doctors are the ones who wrote her seizure potocol...the one that says to use a diastat instead of ativan! Soooo...my mom gives the nurses an earful and reminds them that in the future they can't use it. I think it gets handled and then 2 days later Averie has another seizure and I ask for the diastat and they tell me they don't have orders for it...say what!? They want to give her ativan again. I say No...get the IV valium, but they say they can't without orders from nuero...hello the neurolgist is standing right here. Apparently they still can't do it and they give her ativan. I was so angry and then the neuro tells me that they feel thatt Averie might have reached the end of what meds work on her seizures. They want to start phenobarb as a LAST resort. I of course ask if Dr. S agrees..they say that I need to trust them since I am at there hospital. Omg...what am I suppose to do?? I'm standing there crying and they do there thing. I totally felt hopeless and just wanted to get Averie home. Four days later we finally were released. Averie was no where near being back to baseline, but they felt she would be ok to go home. (FYI- we have mo intention of EVER using this hospital again. If for any reason we need to be admitted and we are at my moms I will make sure we end up in Seattle)

What can I say about phenobarb...its pretty much the most crippling drug I've seen. Yea, sure it keeps the seizures at bay, BUT it also kept Averie from doing anything ...I mean anything!  Averie was completely incapable of functioning. Walking...out of the question. Controlling her bladder...hell no! Eating...barely. It was AWFUL!!!! I get on the phone to Dr. S and describe her behavior and they agree its the med. I gave them the dosages and the nurse told me it was enough to knock out a grown man. We agreed to try and get Averie off of it as soon as possible....but first we needed to finish getting her off Dilantin. That was in March. We've spent since then dealing with a severely handicapped child. Each week we've seen slight improvements and it wasn't until a week ago that we truly got even close to baseline. We've been able to get Ave off her morning dose of phenobarb and it has made huge difference. She is able to walk and feed herself again. Just this last week she stood from the ground up without help! Yay! We still have a loooooong road ahead ot us tho. Next week I make the first reduction in her night dose of pheno...it'll be 16 weeks from then before she is completely off of it.

Since she wasn't able to get around we started physical therapy. I don't know how happy I am with the results,  but we have been able to work with a walker/gait trainer. I love it and hate it all at once. I love that Averie can be independent and walk without help, but I also feel like she wants to rely on the walker instead of working to walk independently. I do like that she is safe when in the walker which is something that I rarely feel otherwise. We only have a couple months to figure out exactly which walker we want to use daily. It will most likely accompany Averie to school in fall so she'll need to be comfortable in it. I'll keep you posted on it for sure :)

I think that is all for today....be looking for a new post in a couple days. I want to spend some time discussing the drug trial that we are waiting to get approved for!