Chase is Bouncing Back

I just returned from Romania / Germany and pleased to see that Chase’s systems seem to be regaining strength – he’s gone two + days without vomiting and he is starting to regain his appetite (although it’s still a bit of a struggle to get him to eat). He’s had more venison lately (which we’re hoping will contribute to an increase in his hemoglobin), while taking the protocol recommended by his Nutritionist, as well as an occasional shot of wheatgrass (fortunately, he seems to like this when mixed with a fruit smoothie) and whey protein mixed with soy milk. We’re very optimistic that everything is getting back on track.

We did have another setback though with Chase’s most recent bloodtest – his potassium dropped to an all-time low of 2.8 (targeting > 4). In the past when this occurred, the clinic immediately prescribed potassium supplements, which seemed to work well and he responded quickly; however, given the number of things he’s already taking and the fact that his system is somewhat rebelling to taking pills (this seems to be when he’s most susceptible to vomiting) we decided to eliminate the supplements and focus on altering his diet with ore foods high in potassium, as well as “new salt” (potassium salt substitute). This worked for about a week and his levels were higher than ever (without the supplements), but all of a sudden the results cam back yesterday and his doctor at the Burzynski Clinic called to find out “what the heck is going on over there”… Carol explained the natural approach we were taking, which seemed to be working fine and enabled us to eliminate 3 of the many pills Chase has to take every day; however, he urged her to get going on the supplements again right away.

So, the latest approach is somewhere in between – use 1 or 2 supplements, but mix the contents of the capsules into a spoon of yogurt so that they’re easier to take. This seems to be working and hopefully will be reflected in the results of Chase’s next bloodtest (along with the increased hemoglobin). The ironic thing is that despite the low potassium and hemoglobin levels in the tests, Chase seems to be doing just fine. You wouldn’t guess there’s any issue with anemia – he’s got plenty of energy. In fact, we bout a trampoline so that Chase and Barbara can have fun while getting their daily exercise, which is a key element of his ongoing therapy. It seems to be working and is perhaps one of the reasons why his system is “bouncing back” so quickly…

As usual, Barbara is being a good sport and a very supporting sister during this process – she’s been continually trying to lift his spirits and get him up for going out to play. We were also pleased to receive very positive feedback on both of them during the parent-teachers conferences this week. Despite the circumstances, they both seem to be well-adjusted and getting along well with their classmates.

Thanks for all the prayers – we’ve collectively succeeded in getting Chase back to some degree of stability and the support for our whole family has been overwhelmingly lifting during this difficult process. We’re continuing to pray that the next bloodtest on Monday will confirm that everything is fin and Chase’s system is back on track.

Lots of love and gratitude,

John & Carol Sammut
Chase & Barbara Ann