How Goes It?

Just a quick post to update y'all on our progress.

Sy has managed to give himself an almost permanently carrot stained Joker smile (look close)...

Sy has been on the therapy for several days now. As we expected, we are overwhelmed with work! We practically live in the kitchen as we prep juices/soup/gruel, clean everything up, and then start the process all over again! Over this time, we have learned how to hone our juicing skills and streamline the process as much as we can. Everyone in the family is committed to helping our one family member who needs it. We are all pitching in to help as Sy cleans up the table and floor, Es dries and puts away dishes, and Bee finds a pencil to write on our walls (grrrr).

Here's our little princess helping out.

As a quick side note, when a 26 week old pregnant lady stands on a tile floor for hours on end in a kitchen, it makes her feet have a sad face. One thoughtful friend sent an unexpected surprise that has turned those feet frowns upside down. A padded kitchen mat! Sweet!

Look at that space age softness! Tempted to put a glass of wine on one end and jump.

Sy, of course, is being a real champ through this whole thing. We do ask for your prayers with one specific issue... Getting the amount of juices down in a day is a tough task for anyone, especially a 5 year-old boy. Another issue that we've encountered is that he will break out in a small rash on his skin around his mouth. An opportunity to place a nasogastric (feeding) tube has become available to us and he actually loves the idea so he won't have to chug-a-lug. God has knocked down our obstacles so far, so we don't expect any different with this. We just need wisdom with every step.

More to come, so stay tuned!

P.S. As far as my diet changes with Sy, I've been amazed at the few noticable changes I've encountered...dropped some excess weight quickly, my appetite has been under better control, and just a better feeling all around. Keep the good changes comin'!

Details!!

We've had several people asking about what our next steps are going to look like for Sy so here it is in a nutshell...



After coming to the end of the road with traditional medical treatment, we were guided to a particular treatment plan that couldn't be more perfect for someone who can't eat...a therapy of food!!! I know this sounds crazy, but after more hours of research than we'd like to admit and comparing it to what I already know from my medical training, it made total sense. Sy has been on a no or very few food diet for the majority of two years. We have watched Sy develop signs that show his body is taking a toll (skin color, appetite, severe constipation, etc.). In passing, one would think that Sy's health is good (and it is compared to severely ill kids), but as a parent, you can tell when things just aren't right. Everyone knows that the body needs good, pure nutrition, and not the kind that comes out of a lab. Also with the amount of sugar Sy gets from his current artificial nutrition, there is the very real risk of developing type 1 diabetes in the near future. The bottom line is that Sy's body has an autoimmune & GI issue that we have only put on somewhat of a pause for right now. There are more things we could do to just "cover up" the disease, but we want real, lasting health. Sy's body has the systems in place to fight this disorder, but the cells of these systems need the right input to have the maximum healing output. Make sense?

The Gerson Therapy we are about to embark upon is anything but simple. Unfortunately, there's no shortcut and you either do it 100% or you don't. There are major costs of time and money, but this family will sell everything for the health of one of our loved ones. The folks from the Gerson Institute informed us that the amount of time it will take to prep, administer, and clean up each day will run about 8 hours!!! However, we have heard first-hand stories from people who have been amazingly healed from destructive diseases (like stage 4 cancers), but it does come at a great sacrfice. We will walk with him through this!

Below is an example of a condensed and simplified daily schedule for someone on this therapy. Sy's will be modified due to: his age, introducing very specific, organic food to his GI system, and to the systems that need repair. So here is what our new life will look like:

7:00 Wake up
7:15 Enema prep & administration
7:45 Special breakfast prep & juicing; prep and making of gruel*
8:00 Eat breakfast & supplements
8:30 Wash all produce for day (huge amount!), make enema concentrate, make special soup
9:00 More juicing, gruel, & supplements
9:30 More juicing, gruel, & supplements
10:00 More juicing, gruel, & supplements
11:00 More juicing, gruel, & supplements
11:15 Enema prep & administration
12:00 Special lunch prep, more juicing, gruel, & supplements
1:00 Eat special soup
2:00 More juicing, gruel, & supplements
3:00 More juicing, gruel, & supplements
4:00 Enema prep, administration, gruel, & more juicing
5:00 More juicing gruel, & supplements
6:00 Prep special dinner, more juicing, gruel, & supplements
7:00 Eat dinner, more juicing, gruel, & supplements
8:00 Enema prep & administration

*Gruel is made by slow cooking organic oats and then straining the them. The gruel is the white liquid that is left over. Sy will have to drink that every hour.

So this will be on top of my work/school/clinical schedule and Heather's pregnant mom/feeding/homeschooling/cleaning/shopping/dealing with me schedule. No big deal...ha! We repeatedly heard from people that you will easily lose a few years as you dedicate yourself to this and there is no way you can do this without help.

It's very easy to get overwhelmed by everything that is staring us in the face right now; however, we have been led through doors that have miraculously opened and brought us to where we are. We are confident that He will provide where we fall short. It's a new journey and we are excited to for Sy's healing and hope to be able to help others along the way.

To learn more about this therapy, check out these documentaries on youtube, Netflix or Hulu:

*Dying To Have Known

*The Gerson Miracle

*The Beautiful Truth

*Or "like" the Gerson Institute on Facebook.

Stepping Down...

The last several days have been chocked full of great information! Fortunately, this was exactly what we needed. We are gaining more confidence with every step as doors continued to be opened for Sy's health, but we are learning that we will be forced to make MAJOR changes to our lives to have a shot at Sy's healing. Thank you to those of you who have been praying and providing for us as we explore this new option.

So, what have we learned?

This new therapy option requires an unbelievable amount of dedication and determination before you even start anything. Do we REALLY want Sy to get better? To the point of putting almost everything on hold for it?

This therapy has been researched and proven for over 70 years. You either do it all or you don't. The problem is that doing it all will take more time, energy, and resources than anything we've ever done before (this is an understatement). This is fantastic timing with my 24 hour shifts, my full-time class schedule, and my clinical schedule that is heating up.

We have learned that as our little boy walks this journey, so will the rest of our family. We have allowed Sy to live alone in his foodless world as we all indulge in whatever we want. It's time for us to step down into his world until we all emerge together.

Here is the really amazing thing that has been in my mind as we are here: This new lifestyle and choice for health is an echo of what's required of my faith. Do I trust Him enough to let go of everything I think is essential to allow Him refocus me on those things that have eternal value? Convenience versus my son's health? Distractions versus leading my family? Selfishness versus selflessness? It sounds easy, but it will require more of me than I have. This is what brings me back to Him on a minute by minute basis.

Sy's health journey has been an opportunity to watch chained doors fly open but also an opportunity to turn the hearts of my family toward something worthwhile.

I know this post has been a bit vague. We will be posting more details soon about what is coming our way.

Thanks for reading!