Sorry for the delay in updating on Olivia's neuro appt today. Following the appt we picked up my parents from the airport, drove back, and have been entertaining them while working on Braeden's struggle with this huge transition he's been anticipating for so long in their arrival.

Olivia's neurologist spent quite a bit of time with us today, BUT he is perplexed and has no idea where her ten days of, well, basically paralysis came from or if it will or could happen again. He does not think it many things however, which I guess is good. He doesn't think it's seizure related, even though he did up her meds to satisfy the other neurologist as well as just to "be safe". But due to the fact that her paralysis, for lack of a better term, happened in BOTH legs, it is most likely not seizure related as that would affect one leg since one side of the brain controls one side of the body and vice versa. He also does not think it's MS, or a number of other things, because there would be some residual affects and it would have lasted for a few days, it would not "come and go" as her paralysis did. He doesn't think it's nerve or spine related because there would have been pain associated with it where she had none.

The only thing that we both THINK it could POSSIBLY have been caused by... her HAIR! Two weeks prior to this period, Olivia had a weave put in. It's an inexpensive one which I did myself, purchased at a local hair supply store. All week when I was carrying her there was a strong, almost noxious, odor or fumes coming from her head. I thought it odd, but I don't go around smelling her hair so thought maybe that's what it smelled like. :) BUT, things started to fall into place for me and I did a little research. Many hairs like this are made with formaldehyde. And other highly toxic chemicals. Perhaps one batch of her hair had more than it's share??? Each night she slept on and breathed in this hair. Each morning, as we were out the door and in the fresh air, she became "better" and was "fine" during the day. Then Sunday, she took her first shower of the week as she hadn't because of her legs prior. That night she had only one hour of one leg being "numb." And starting Monday morning... fine... She's taken one or two showers a day since (I haven't had the hours it will take to remove and then "do" her hair again in time for a wedding this Saturday - but it will come out asap after!). Our neuro doctor said that he has seen similar reactions in people where a formula using high metal content in a lice remover was used on their hair. Very interesting. Too bad there's not a way to prove or disprove this theory! Especially as I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop and it to start all over again! :(

So, what are we doing??? Well, he is ordering a thyroid test the next time we are doing blood work, just to be "sure." We are keeping with the higher seizure med dosage. And we are watching her. That's it. And it scares me. The week was hard. Very hard and scary for both of us. So we keep praying and trusting that God, not myself, not the doctors, is in control and will carry us through, no matter what.

Thank you again, all of you, for your support, your prayers, your concern, your love. We appreciate it more than you can know.