How Is David?: THREE! and so many blessings

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

THREE! and so many blessings

Raffi just called and said David had his THIRD seizure!! She said it looked good!

We had so many good things to post already! Graduation was a great night even though David was stuck in his room. Bijan got an audio connection so David was able to listen to the whole event. Many people mentioned him and there was so much love and support for him. (Why are you all so good to us??!)

After graduation was over we visited David with champagne* and cake and chocolate and gifts, and about 25 of the teens/college age kids from church showed up too! (After the champagne--sorry, guys.) Michael and Kathryn lost count at 30 in the room. I have got to post the photos somehow. It was awesome!! There was a time of prayer for David and he played the goofy music video we made before he went in.

At least several other moms felt pretty bad about his missing graduation but we tried to encourage each other that God had something better. That was like my mantra all day. Whoaaa! The windows of heaven opened up last night and poured out...friends! into his room, so that it (almost) couldn't contain them!

*Medicinal--recommended by (anonymous) members of his healthcare team to provoke seizures when all else fails. Didn't work! But it was fun to try.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...: Hey, alcohol - that's my kind of medicine!! Just kidding! So pleased that David finally had his 3rd seizure. I was checking your blog yesterday waiting for some news.

Sorry that he missed graduation but that must have been some kind of party afterwards (his room must be like the Tardis) and I'm sure everyone will remember it for way longer than they would otherwise.

And well done for sticking it out through God's trial of perseverance and patience.

See you Sunday

Tessa; June 4, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Beth N said...: Thanks! What is the Tardis?; June 4, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Beth N said...: Got it -- not a luxury resort, but
"TARDIS is...a time machine and spacecraft in the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who....The interior of a TARDIS is much larger than its exterior, which can blend in with its surroundings through the ship's chameleon circuit." (Wikipedia)

No wonder no one outside complained.; June 4, 2008 at 1:10 PM
Beth N said...: Wednesday June 4: Seizure #3 this morning! Wires to be removed at 11:30 am tomorrow if the EEG looks good. He sounds a bit hungover as of 1:30.; June 5, 2008 at 10:54 AM

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Pray for David

+Pray for no seizures and healing from epilepsy.

+Pray for no colds (often come with seizures), wisdom in matters of health.
+Thank God for the period of no seizures from July 31 2008 to July 7, 2009, even with one less medicine and his VNS implant being turned way low inadvertently.
+Thank God for a full recovery from the trauma caused by the grid on August 1 2008.

+Thank God for strength during the first four semesters at college.

+Pray for strength and wisdom through the third year, taken from home.

+Thank God for three months with no seizures, from early August to early November '11

+Pray for that pattern, of no seizures or even auras, to resume and remain

WHAT'S UP WITH DAVID--updated 9/19/09

David was diagnosed with focal epilepsy in 2000.
He has tried seven meds and had a device implanted, but still has had seizures and side effects.
Since summer 2007 he has been on a track toward surgery, which can be very effective. In July 2008 we got to the final stage which is to have grid surgery.
Grid surgery on July 29 involved placing a silicone grid of electrodes directly on his brain. A cable connected his head to an EEG screen, and he stayed in his hospital room to have seizures. If the grid shows where seizures come from then usually the spot can be removed and the epilepsy is gone or alleviated greatly.
Things went wrong on August 1 when the grid turned out to be very irritating and caused a lot of fluid buildup and swelling so it had to be taken out in emergency surgery as David started slipping into a coma. The opportunity to do therapeutic surgery was lost for the time.
But things started going well as he had no seizures for 11 months and 1 week after coming out of the hospital. Things are really good because he (accidentally) started taking one less medicine, and because his vagal nerve stimulator was (accidentally) set way too low after surgery, and still no seizures. This is very unexpected so maybe the trauma altered something in his brain and healed his epilepsy.
Despite some bumps things are still going well, with very few seizures. After asking for the VNS to be turned down, then having many more auras, turning it back up, and having sleep trouble, he has had seven seizures since July 7, '09. However, each seizure has been gentler than the last, and a common denominator has been found in many of them - looking at computer/TV screens too long.

How Is David?

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

THREE! and so many blessings

4 comments:

Pray for David

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