In 2010 we got a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis for our son Isaac who was then 27 months old. For a year and a half we had been concerned about his persistent soft stools. Now that we're going down the road of living with IBD in our house, we want to be able to share our story, connect with similar families or individuals, and increase our awareness of the experience of others.

Some of our related interests are diet, kids and families with IBD, and discussing and sharing experiences.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Optimization, continued

So far, so good.  Well, it's been three months since we had the first brainwave optimization treatments, and we have only good things to report.  At the end of March we underwent 4 additional treatments just to "keep the ball rolling."  Isaac poops normally, and eats normally as well.  (Our normal is a little healthier than the average American diet, it should be said.).

I read more about brainwave optimization.  There is a book called Limitless You by Lee Gerdes and of course, it's set up so that the reader can barely help but think that everybody ought to get this done.  The explanation is that the slight electrical pulse going through various parts of your brain our caught with an electroencephalogram, and then played back for your brain (virtually immediately) at an audible level.  The idea is that your brain captures this playback, recognizes it as patterns of its output, and plays a game with itself which helps it achieve a balance.  It sounds like there is some sort of baseline brain balance signals that are "suggested" to the brain via soundwaves while it is playing the game of listening to itself function.

Some of the anecdotes in the book are nearly unbelievable.  I am still a little skeptical about the whole thing, but the more I hear about our family friend and the results that I have observed so far in Isaac really bend my perspective.  When I read about the brain activities in the brainwave optimization book, I can't help but think of the centering effects of yoga and slowing down, exercising, and so on.  Electronically stimulating this balance sounds a little too hokey--and most of all I am skeptical because of the lack of embracing this technology by any mainstream health care system--neither those interested in the physical nor the psychologically pathological.  But seeing positive results, similar to a yogic centering, in a 3 year old compels me to deduce that it is not merely a contemplative or meditative result of being still and slowing down for a couple hours at a time.

Look, we're just tickled that Isaac is doing well, growing and developing just great, and for the time being it is sort of nice to "forget" that he has this chronic condition.  He does still take his maintenance meds as earlier reported.  So he takes his sulfasalzine three times a day (liquid), and swallows his azathioprine each morning (and a folic acid pill as well).  But we're enjoying the good times now and hoping that these good times stretch out into forever!


2 comments:

  1. I am so glad to hear Isaac is doing so well with this therapy. Thank you for mentioning the book. I plan on readng it and seeing if it something I can get into with Logan. At this point, every time he thinks a doctor is going to check him out he has a fit so it may be a while before I can get him to sit still. The last time I messaged I said my boy was doing okay. Well, we hit a flare up and it has been about a week. I hope to see it ease up soon but I am still rather new with this. I just wanted to say thanks again and glad everthing is going well! It gives me hope. :o) Also, I have no idea what to do with the comment as thing, but my name is Holly.

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  2. Oh Holly, how I know what you mean about the fits at the doctor's appointments. Isaac has really started to ask specific question when we go, like "Am I going to get a poke (blood draw)?" I've started to reward him for going through with it. I usually will get him a special treat after it's all done. I know it's basically a bribe, but it often times works so I'm okay with that. My thoughts and prayers are with you both and I wish you the best of luck with Logan while you go through this flare!

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