Holding My Breath

It's been 4 1/2 weeks since Iris' last seizure. Iris generally goes 3-5 weeks between seizures, so we're pretty solidly in her "red zone." I haven't posted about it because I've been very afraid of jinxing a good thing, but I did get a couple of photos from Iris' last acupuncture appointment.


Iris has gotten more relaxed around Dr C, which is good. Last week, the only time she really flinched was for the two midway down her back. She was definitely uncomfortable for that but such a good girl, she just twitched her muscles like a horse shrugging off a fly and keep still for Dr C.


Dr C told me that the point in the center on the top of the head increases blood flow to the brain. When Dr C took his final acupuncture exam, every one in his class had a needle in that point on the top of their heads. Too funny! If you look closely at the next photo, you can see the three needles across the top of Iris' head - the one in the center and the two "bug antennae" near her ears. You might have to click on the photo to make it larger to get a good look.


Once all the needles are in, we wait for 15-20 min and Iris pretty much just lays down and hangs out. She was demanding belly rubs but I couldn't get a photo of that. She says "Hey mom, put your face-box away and get back to petting me!" She's too fluffy to really see many of the needles once they're in. There's one near her right rear paw that you can see.


We're going to do another appointment next week (that will be acupuncture treatment #5) and then I think the plan is to spread her visits out a little more depending on how she's doing. The longest she's ever gone between seizures is 6 weeks, and that was last summer when she first started on Keppra. I'm holding my breath for the next two weeks.