A Mother’s Journey: From Terminal Diagnosis to Thriving Health
Jessica’s daughter Riley was born with a rare terminal genetic disease called MMIHS (Megacystis Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalis Syndrome). This condition affects only about 200 people worldwide and causes severe intestinal motility issues, making it difficult for food to move through the digestive system. Most children with this condition don’t survive past their first year.
“When she was born, everything was going great. And then when we started solids and she stopped breastfeeding, that’s when everything went haywire for us,” Jessica explains. Riley’s intestines simply couldn’t process regular foods, leading to severe complications.
The Medical Nightmare Before Dietary Change
The medical establishment offered little hope. Riley underwent 11 surgeries, including an ileostomy. She became completely dependent on TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) – IV nutrition that bypassed her digestive system entirely. Despite this intervention, she remained chronically ill.
“She was constantly having ostomy revisions, constantly just living in the hospital. We were never really going home,” Jessica recalls. At nearly three years old, Riley weighed only 26 pounds, had no hair, was extremely pale, and rarely smiled or played.
Medical professionals recommended antibiotics on a rotating schedule for life to control gas, with no dietary modifications suggested. In fact, they warned against restricting her diet, claiming it might cause an eating disorder.
The Turning Point: Discovering Carnivore
Everything changed when Jessica consulted with a GAPS practitioner who recommended something called “no plant GAPS” – essentially a carnivore diet with some additions like bone broth, organ meats, and fermented dairy.
“We started her on that right away and immediately we started to see good changes in her,” Jessica says. The transformation was remarkable. Riley gained ten pounds in just two months. Her hair began growing back, her energy returned, and she started acting like a typical toddler for the first time.
Life-Changing Results on a Meat-Based Diet
Today, Riley is five years old and thriving. She eats meat, organ meat, eggs, butter, homemade kefir, yogurt, and cheese. Her diet is completely free of plant foods, which previously caused fermentation in her digestive tract and led to severe complications.
“She is the most vibrant and fun kid. She is completely crazy. Her and her 3-year-old brother just run around the house all day long playing, and they’re outside constantly climbing. She’s very strong physically. She’s very tall for her age,” Jessica beams.
The diet didn’t just address her digestive issues. Remarkably, it also improved Riley’s bladder function, which had previously required catheterization multiple times daily. Now she can use the bathroom independently during the day.
Beyond Survival: A New Life Expectancy
For a condition with a typical life expectancy of just a few years, Riley’s progress represents something extraordinary. “Looking at her and how healthy she is, I think if we can really keep her on the diet, keep her understanding what works for her body, and not have any exposure to other types of foods, I don’t see a limit for her life expectancy,” Jessica shares.
The entire family has adopted a primarily animal-based eating pattern, with Riley’s siblings showing excellent development and health. Her younger brother, born prematurely at 29 weeks, has caught up completely and is now in the 75th percentile for growth.
Spreading Hope to Others
Jessica has written a book about her daughter’s journey and is connecting with other families affected by MMIHS and similar conditions. Several other children around the world are now implementing the same dietary approach with promising results.
Even Riley’s doctors, initially skeptical, have been amazed by her progress. Her physician has been sharing her story at international conferences, discussing the no-plant GAPS diet as a potential intervention for children with motility disorders.
“I think every kid who has a motility disorder should be on the no-plant GAPS diet,” Jessica states. “If you do it as a family, you can really have such a great effect for your child and save their life at the end of the day.”
For Jessica and her family, what began as a devastating diagnosis has transformed into a story of hope and resilience, challenging medical assumptions and opening new possibilities for others facing similar conditions.
