A metabolic... disorder caused her death?
The precise term is "ornthine transcarbamylase deficiency", or OTC. You see, Myra's liver was missing a vital enzyme that helps break down protein.
Something as simple as eating a burger could cause toxic levels of ammonia to build up in her blood and attack her nervous system.
But Myra was a vegan.
Which is how she was able to avoid symptoms for so long, but when she pushed herself and didn't eat - finals, the fellowship - her body started breaking down muscle, which released protein into her blood.
So, you mean she'd be alive right now if she'd just... eaten?
If this disease is genetic, that means one of us gave it to her.
Yes. Um, it is passed through the X chromosome, from mother to child, but...
OTC sufferers exhibit totally normal liver function. That's why all of Myra's tests came back clean.
Yeah. We were only able to diagnose her once Eric explained his lethargy and sickness after eating. We believe he has the defect, as well, and has been self-medicating with drugs.
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