Sariah was three when she had her first seizure. We were having fun doing summersaults as a family down the hallway. On one of Sariah’s rotations she landed hard on her back, cried out in pain, and within seconds started seizing. All of us watched, shocked. Because my father has epilepsy I was able to remain calm, but this does not mean I was not deeply concerned. From experience I knew how epilepsy can affect a person’s life. The unexplained episodes, the side-effect-laced medication, and even injury. Despite these concerns, I knew I could do something. I had just started the foot zone training course and up to this point the course was financially difficult as well as time consuming. We were a young family, with very little extra income; not to mention, I had three children, 4 years and younger to care for. Because of Sariah’s seizure, my faith to complete the training course grew stronger.
Foot zones definitely helped Sariah. For three and a half years, no seizures. Then, when she was seven years old, she was happily practicing her flips on the trampoline. While trying to perfect a front flip she rotated wrong and fell on her head. She cried out in pain and almost immediately had a seizure. This episode was the first in a series of grand mal seizures she had over the next month, each lasting less than 10 seconds. These seizures seemed to occur randomly. She even had one in the bathtub. Super scary! Whenever she had one I would hit all the vagus nerve points and she would be back to playing and running as if nothing had happened.
In the following days I worked on her foot to determine what to do and muscle tested what supplements would help. I felt that she had some physical damage in her temporal lobe from her neck injury at birth. That part of the brain on the foot zone was crunchy. The muscle testing also indicated that Sariah was low in trace minerals. This prevented her brain from healing properly following each seizure. I located a good liquid trace mineral. She also needed to take vitamin C along with the trace minerals. I gave Sariah this combination every morning and every night. The improvement was obvious. If she skipped one of her supplement doses she would have a seizure. On days she took her supplements, no seizures.
On one of the days she missed her supplements, she had a seizure at school. People started asking questions like; what the doctors are saying? Does Sariah have epilepsy? One day Sariah came to me and asked, “Mom, can I go to a doctor like a normal person?” At first, I laughed. I guess we aren’t normal. I considered her request. I had concerns about the medical route of treatment. Epilepsy medication is harsh. Could I give it to my seven-year-old? After praying about it, I felt a visit would be okay. So, I consented. We booked an appointment at Primary Children’s Hospital in Utah with a neurologist. However, we could not see him for two more months! So, we continued our regimen and a month before her appointment her seizures had stopped. But, we went to Primary Children’s anyways.
Sariah was actually quite excited for her appointment. I think she felt like now we were going to get some “real” answers. Oh, to be a child of a foot zoner. The neurologist at Primary Children’s hospital first performed an EEG on Sariah. This test detects abnormalities in the electrical signals of the brain. We then met with the neurologist to discuss the results.
I was open with the neurologist about Sariah’s homegrown treatments and he asked me to bring the supplements to the appointment. As we met with the neurologist, he informed me that the test came back fine. There is no question that I was pleased with this result because I already knew Sariah was getting better. So when I showed little reaction at his news, the doctor said usually parents are concerned when the test comes back normal because they wonder what is going on with their child. He said that in order to really get an answer, we would need to perform an MRI. He suspected that because of Sariah’s past neck injury she likely has some physical damage in her temporal lobe. This, combined with the family history of epilepsy, he was sure we were missing something. However, because MRIs are difficult to perform on fidgety children, and because the seizures had ceased, he recommended we wait.
Did the doctor just tell me something might be wrong with the temporal lobe? That is exactly what I felt during Sariah’s foot zone. I wanted to shout, “foot zone therapy is amazing!” The neurologist examined the supplements and then addressed Sariah directly and said, “What your mom is doing is working, and I don’t have a lot of other options for you so just continue to do what your mom is having you do.” I wanted to hug him. I was so nervous that he was going to push medications upon my small child, but he didn’t. He trusted my ability to know what was right for my daughter. But, even more than that, he validated me in front of my child. A child who wanted “real” answers like normal people.
Sariah has had four seizures since that appointment. They are always induced by some physical accident and when she is low on nutrients. Once she seized while climbing a banyan tree. I had to run up and catch her before she fell. It is amazing how quickly I can climb a tree when my adrenaline kicks in. She is now 14 years old and has learned to listen to her body. She has learned so many important spiritual truths from this trial. It has been wonderful to have the peace and comfort that comes from foot zoning.