Another trip to the ER....this time by ambulance :(

Hey friends,

Please pray for me.  It's a long story, but since Saturday, I've been dealing with bad headaches every day and just feeling plain crummy.  I thought maybe I had another bladder infection, so my PCP's office told me to go to urgent care to check Tuesday evening.  Well, it turns out I don't have one, but I think I'd rather have that since it's treatable!  TMI, but I'll just state the facts: they found I have high ketones in my urine (my liver is forming too many ketone bodies and excreting it in my urine).  This is what that means---my GI dr. and the urgent care dr. said my body is basically in a starvation mode and is burning fat (instead of sugar) for energy.  Mitochondrial disease, protein-calorie malnutrition, and failure to thrive (all things I'm dealing with) don't go together. :(

Yesterday, things went downhill.  My weakness got worse, I was so hot from burning so much energy, and the nausea was so bad.  My parents had to call 911.  I thought I was going to pass out! :(  The paramedics had to use a sling to carry me out and put me on a stretcher.  I was taken to OHSU where they gave me a bunch of IV pain/nausea meds and IV fluids with dextrose.  In just 2 weeks, I've been poked a total of 8 times just for blood draws and IVs.

I'm home now because I started perking up after all that they gave me, but I am still so sleepy and weak.

My GI dr. and the nutritionists recommend that I start using tube feeds 24 hours around the clock, so please pray that things will start looking up and that I'll feel better.  I may have mito, but it won't have me!

I have touched the scars upon His hands, 

To see if they were real.

He has walked the road before me, 
He knows just how I feel.
When you feel there is not anyone, 
Who understands your pain, 
Just remember all of Jesus' suffering.

-from one of my favorite songs by Jeremy Camp ("Healing Hand of God")