Scott’s Healing Journey — Part 5: When Hope Became Measurable

When the First Number Changed Everything

This part of Scott’s healing journey marks a critical moment in his MELD score recovery — the moment hope became measurable.

When Scott’s MELD score dropped from 26 to 19, we didn’t just notice it.
We celebrated it.
With deep, emotional gratitude.

It was the first time in months that I felt like I could breathe.

That number wasn’t just a lab result.
It was confirmation — that everything we were doing mattered, that Scott’s body was responding, and that healing was not impossible.

And it fueled him.

Why That Moment Mattered So Much

We had been doing so much — intentionally, daily, and with hope.

Food became medicine.
Rest became sacred.
Healing became a full-time focus.

We were working closely with Houston Holistic Health Clinic. We followed detox bath protocols and probiotic recommendations. We incorporated ozone sauna sessions and did everything we could to support inflammation reduction and lymphatic movement — gentle bouncing while seated, the rebounder, and the Chi Swing Machine to help move lymph when his body couldn’t do much else.

Sound healing played softly in the background.
Red light therapy supported cellular repair.
Special pillows helped him rest more deeply.

We researched constantly. We didn’t find anyone whose path mirrored Scott’s — cirrhosis and liver failure followed by measurable recovery — but we did find support, guidance, and insight along the way. We learned through careful research, thoughtful observation, and by connecting with practitioners willing to engage. That included Dr. Ken Berry through his private group. We ordered and studied Dr. Boz’s course. We checked in regularly with Houston Holistic Health Clinic.

We adjusted.
We observed.
We listened.

And when that MELD score dropped — it validated all of it.

What mattered most wasn’t just that the number changed.
It was what it changed inside us.

And it was huge.

Up until that point, everything had felt fragile. We were acting in faith, intuition, and hope — without knowing if we would ever see confirmation. Early on, the first transplant specialist told us improvement was impossible, and for a long time, we quietly wondered if he was right.

That first MELD drop — a significant change from 26 to 19 — didn’t erase the uncertainty.
But it grounded us.

It told us Scott’s body wasn’t just surviving — it was responding.

That moment became a reference point.

On harder days, when progress felt invisible, we returned to it. We remembered that his body had already proven it could move in the right direction. That knowledge shaped everything that followed — from food choices, to rest, to how fiercely we protected peace and calm around healing.

It also changed Scott’s mindset.

Seeing that number improve gave him something tangible to hold onto. It made the daily effort feel purposeful. It gave him a reason to keep going — even when the work was slow, and unseen.

That shift mattered more than we realized at the time.

Choosing Gratitude — Even While Still Fighting

About three months in, once Scott was stable enough to participate, we added something new: a daily gratitude practice.

Before getting out of bed each morning, individually and quietly, we each named three things we were grateful for — taking time to truly feel the gratitude in our bodies. That part mattered most.

We were still fighting.
Still uncertain.
Still cautious.

But we chose to celebrate the victories along the way — because they gave Scott motivation to keep going, and they gave both of us the strength to continue believing.

That first MELD drop wasn’t the end of the journey.
But it was the moment hope became tangible.

And once hope had numbers behind it — everything shifted.

That shift — measurable, documented, undeniable — changed everything about what came next.

Continue the story in Part 6: The Space Between Hope and Proof →

✨If you’re new here, you might also enjoy 💖 Our Story, The Joy List 🌟— Our Ultimate All Day Playlist — the Recipes we lean on when food becomes part of healing — and 🐶 Fur Baby Tales, where we share life through Jack’s eyes.