New Doctor, New Seizure, New Resident Permit?

Our appointment with Ellie's new neurologist Dr. Skouteli was very encouraging.  Ellie seemed to like her as well.  She told us that Baclofen IS available in Greece (just under its marketing name, and in tablet form, but it is the same medication), so she is going to help us get Ellie back on that.  She also told us about a couple of good educational opportunities for Ellie that combine a variety of therapies (i.e., swimming therapy, horse therapy, physical and occupational and speech therapy, etc.) with schooling.  She is on the board of directors of one of the schools.  Though the school is full for this year, we are going to get Ellie on the waiting list for next year.  Additionally, Dr. Skouteli gave us some Melatonin to help Ellie sleep at night.  It is a hormone, naturally produced by our bodies, non-addictive, and able to be used with other medications.  ELLIE IS SLEEPING MUCH BETTER NOW!!!!!

Unfortunately, about 10 days after the doctor visit Ellie had another seizure.  This one lasted more than 30 minutes so it was the longest one yet, and we spent the day and night in the hospital.  Initially, the doctor wanted to start her on regular anti-seizure medication, but after reading the results of the EEG, and talking to us and our pediatrician we all decided to wait a bit on that.  The 3 days in which she has had seizure episodes up until now have each been 5 months apart, so we will not start her YET on maintenance medication. We got home from the hospital yesterday and she is still not quite back to her normal happy self yet.  After her previous seizures, it took her a few days to recover normalcy.

We have encountered many logistical and bureaucratic hurdles over the years to get Ellie a resident permit here.  It looks like we are close now to that happening. I will spare you all the long long long long long long long long long long lists of details and stories.  Please pray that we can get it soon.  In addition to preventing fines for her not having one, it may open some doors for financial assistance related to her CP.

That's enough for now.  Here are a few OLDER pics of Ellie...

September/October 2010

We've been back in Athens exactly one month today!  For Ellie, it has been a difficult readjustment.  It took her about 3 weeks to get over jet lag and then she got sick (still is).  Today was supposed to be her first physical and occupational therapy since returning to Greece, but now we will be canceling.

Additionally, we had to wean her off the baclofen because it is not available in oral form here as in the States, and this has made her very stiff again.  The slight gains we thought were resulting from the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy were actually, we see now, the results of the baclofen she was taking.

We have an appointment scheduled with a new neurologist on Oct. 11th.  Perhaps she will have something new to suggest.  Meanwhile, we pray, we wait on the Lord, and we do the best we can with what the Lord gives us.

September 23rd-27th, we went a couple hours away on a Team Retreat where (in spite of little sleep) we had a great time with our team, planning, praying, worshipping, playing, eating, etc. together.  Here are a few pics of Ellie from that weekend (by-the-way, while a couple of the pics look like she is not enjoying the time of "catch" with daddy, she really did!)...