Walking miracle.

I first met this girl with cerebral palsy (CP) about 3 months ago. Her mom left her rural town to come to Kunming for a desperate chance at HOPE…hope that her daughter can say a few words, walk again, do a few “normal” things she sees other children able to do…things most parents take for granted. Her story goes like this:

She was born with CP, though never formally diagnosed. Many people in the rural villages don’t know much about CP. The child had every work-up possible, draining the family of most of their savings. Prior to the child’s first birthday, an EEG was done that showed possible epileptiform changes, and the child was immediately diagnosed as having epilepsy and placed on (very expensive) seizure medication. The mother couldn’t afford the medication so it wasn’t until during another checkup a few years later that the same physician recommended the child be put on seizure medication. Up until this point, the child had never had any seizure activity whatsoever. The mother freaked as this doctor said if the child didn't take the medication, she could die or have more severe problems. She started giving her baby girl this seizure medication…faithfully and daily for 2.5 years. Pretty immediately following the start of the medication, mother noticed that the child lost her ability to walk, lost her personality and started to act like a “zombie”, and lost her appetite. She went back to the doctor over and over again and was reassured she was doing the right thing, and that these changes were due to her CP.

Fast forward to 3 months ago. The mother came to see me at a make-shift clinic we set up at a local rehabilitation center where the mother was bringing her daughter to for physical therapy. She mentioned that the girl never had any seizure activity before or after starting the medication. I’ve also learned since being here that CP kids can have abnormal EEG findings, that mimic and look like seizure activity in the brain. So, I decided to get a blood level of the seizure medication and it was above the normal level. I stopped the medication completely. The mother and child went back to their rural villages shortly after and I never saw them again...until...

This past week, the mother made a one day trip to Kunming (from her rural town) to see me at the international clinic. When I saw the mother, I knew exactly who she was. However, she was holding the hand of a girl that I didn’t recognize (and walking together)…until I looked more closely. It was her daughter! The smile on the girl AND the mom made my last 6 months here worth it. She was so happy to see me and so excited to tell me everything. Her daughter is not only able to walk forwards, but she can walk backwards, jump, AND run! Her personality is much more lively, personable and social. She kept thanking me…but I kept telling her, there was NO WAY I thought this was even possible. There was hope, sure…but maybe small, minimal improvement. Not this. This was a miracle, and I made sure she knew it! Look at her go. I wish I had a photo of her before, where at best she would be sitting upright, standing for a brief moment, but was usually lying on her back.

Looking up!