How Is David?: 09/01/2010

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Back to normal

David recovered really quickly from all those seizures, so that is really something we are thankful for. Having 8+ seizures in a set used to fry his brain and it would take weeks to recover.

Thanks for the love and prayers! We'll keep the blog more up to date.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

If I ever get outta here...

he goes to church. What a guy. David did not want to go into the hospital and couldn't wait to get out. He was discharged this morning in time to get to church.

His seizures didn't bother him much which is amazing since he had 8 (?) that people counted and perhaps more in his sleep.

He is back in his dorm room now talking to me on Skype and looks great. You scared us, dude!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Sam he is!

We do so like that Sam I Am. Somehow a lot of our friends haven't really believed that Sam went to a small engineering college in east Texas. He really did. He is David's roommate, partly so he could be of service when times get tough for David.

Sam has been heroic since yesterday afternoon. He has been David's constant companion and a key part of his healthcare team. God is good. Thanks, Sam.

Getting better

David hasn't had any more seizures today and is resting. He feels good enough that he is impatient to go but the doctor said he could be discharged Sunday morning.

Things are bad right now

After a great 5 weeks, David started a cluster of seizures yesterday afternoon. He has now had 7 total in about 18 hours. He was hospitalized last night.

The neurologist there (Longview, Texas) is apparently going to contact David's own neurologist here this morning to coordinate the care. Our neurologist does not like lots of seizures so hopefully they will figure out something soon that will help.

We're not sure why this is happening. David has a cold coming on which always gives him trouble, but not this much trouble. He had a scoop of ice cream and some M&Ms just before this started, but those things haven't given him too much trouble either.

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?