As a little girl, I believed miracles only existed in movies. They felt like distant, beautiful stories meant for someone else. I never imagined that my own life would one day reflect something that could only be described as miraculous.
My name is Gabriela Palacios, and this is my journey of medical misdiagnosis involving elevated ammonia levels. In fact, it lasted far longer than anyone would expect, 14 years of unanswered symptoms and uncertainty.
From the very beginning, life was not simple for me. Milestones that came naturally to other children—talking, walking, and eating—required tremendous effort. I struggled socially and academically, constantly feeling as though I was racing to catch up. To achieve what my classmates accomplished with ease, I had to work three times harder.
Even before I was diagnosed, my teachers sensed that something was wrong. I had difficulty keeping up academically, and my processing speed was slower than that of other students. Because of this, I was placed on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) years before anyone understood why I was struggling. The support helped, but there was still an unanswered question: what was really happening inside my body?
At just two years old, I experienced chronic ear infections that required ear tubes. Soon after, I developed pneumonia in both lungs. I was diagnosed with failure to thrive, acid reflux, and celiac disease. My body seemed to be in a constant fight.
When I was eight, a new and frightening challenge emerged. I began having episodes of extreme physical exhaustion. Simple tasks like getting dressed, eating, or walking became overwhelming. My parents consulted countless specialists searching for answers, but clarity remained out of reach.
Despite overwhelming fatigue, I couldn’t sleep. Eating often ended in vomiting. Hospital admissions became routine. At one point, doctors misdiagnosed me with seizures, which delayed proper treatment and understanding,
In June 2018, I received another diagnosis. This time, the evidence was undeniable: I was diagnosed with severe scoliosis that threatened my heart and lungs. I wore a brace in an attempt to slow its progression, but surgery eventually became unavoidable. Just two days before my 14th birthday, while attending a surgical consultation, my family received devastating news: my grandfather had suddenly passed away. His funeral was held on my birthday. In the midst of preparing for major surgery, I lost someone who meant everything to me.
Despite the emotional weight, I faced spinal fusion surgery with determination. Surgeons placed 28 screws and two rods in my back. It protected my heart and lungs and gave me stability. I will always be grateful for that care.
But the most critical moment of my life happened on April 8, 2019.
That night, after eating foods high in protein, I became restless. I began sleepwalking, changing clothes repeatedly, bumping into walls, and acting aggressively, clear neurological warning signs that something was seriously wrong.
At 2 a.m., my parents rushed me to the hospital. Dr. Nelson Obikwu made a decision that not only saved my life but changed everything: he ordered my ammonia levels to be checked. Normal levels are in the teens; that night, mine measured 500. That single ammonia test changed everything.
I was immediately transferred to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, where specialists finally diagnosed me with Lysinuric Protein Intolerance (LPI), which is classified as a secondary urea cycle disorder (UCD).
After my diagnosis at age 15, I underwent a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation. The results were difficult to process. Testing suggested that my cognitive functioning was at approximately a third-grade level, even though I was in seventh grade at the time. Professionals recommended placement in a special-needs school, and my mother was told she was “expecting too much” from me.
What was not fully understood at the time was that I had been living for years with untreated hyperammonemia affecting my brain. Even before my diagnosis, I had an IEP because educators recognized that something was not right. After my diagnosis, my educational plan became more structured and intentional. With accommodations, support, and consistent effort, I gradually began to improve.
Today, I am 21 years old and a sophomore at Nova Southeastern University, majoring in Speech-Language Pathology and Communication Disorders with a minor in Psychology. I have been accepted into a dual admission program that secures my place in graduate school. I am now preparing to become a speech-language pathologist.
That transformation was only possible because someone finally checked my ammonia level.
For 14 years, my symptoms were misunderstood and repeatedly misdiagnosed. I struggled academically and physically without answers, while my condition continued to worsen.
My journey now is focused on preventing this from happening to others. When patients present with unexplained mental agitation or neurological changes, ammonia levels should be checked immediately. This test should not depend on chance or clinical suspicion alone. It should be standard protocol.
Too many patients with urea cycle disorders arrive at emergency rooms with confusion, vomiting, unusual behavior, or extreme fatigue and are not tested in time. Elevated ammonia is a medical emergency. Delayed testing can lead to brain injury, coma, or death. No family should have to wait 14 years for a diagnosis like mine.
This is why I am sharing my story. Checking ammonia saves lives. It protects the brain. It must become standard emergency room protocol so that no one else goes years without answers like I did.
Miracles are real. Sometimes they begin with a single ammonia test.
