A Near Miss, and a college class

Sunday night David had such a bad aura he thought it was going to turn into a seizure. It lasted a while and finally went away. It was heartbreaking. But he hasn't had any more since.

Two weeks ago we saw Dr Maleeva and he had her turn down the dose of his VNS as it felt a little irritating when it went on. So I blame the lower dose for this aura.

I could have blamed sleep deprivation but I don't. David enrolled at Glendale Community College and the only available section of the math class he wanted begins at 7:00 am. The rest of us have been in shock for the last couple weeks as he has gotten himself up, dressed and out the door at 6:15 every weekday morning. He walks down the hill one mile and catches the bus, then rides the bus back home after class and calls me for a ride back up the hill. He looks so happy to be "moving" -- independent, mobile, and back to doing math again. He is still working through the Foundations of American Thought class and making dinner for the family most nights.

A small Christian engineering/technical college called LeTourneau, in east Texas, accepted him and offered a generous scholarship. (We're not sure about sending him so far away, till we see some more stability re seizures.) He is also hoping to be accepted at Biola, and is applying for some scholarships. These things all have pushed him a lot but he is learning some new things and becoming more organized.

Speaking of moving, we found a buyer for our house and if all goes well we hope to find something in Pasadena or Altadena that is cheaper so we can free up some $ for college tuition.

Thanks for checking in. I'll try to post more often.

Getting moving

David's speech therapist back in August was a funny, loud man who said David needed to Get Moving! Well, David has visited two college campuses in the last few weeks, applied to two junior colleges to pick up classes before fall, worked on scholarships, and is motivated and happy! He also took the SAT and got a really high math score and did pretty well in the verbal too.

We are getting more and more accustomed to no seizures, and to his mind being clearer and clearer.

We have a Dr Maleeva appointment this Friday. Please pray for a good one. Thanks!!!

Six months!!

Six months, six months, six months, SIX MONTHS. It sounds so good. Six months ago today David was in the ICU with brain trauma from the grid that would have diagnosed the source of his epilepsy. Instead it caused swelling and nearly caused a coma. Now David has fully recovered and has had no seizures, anyway! Thank you God!! God has been so good to us!

Come Sunday

This Sunday we would like to offer chili and cake from 1pm to 3pm at our home to thank our friends who have prayed for David and given us moral support! He turned 20 last week, and is doing college applications and plans to live on campus starting this fall so there is a lot to celebrate!

Time 1-3 pm Sunday January 18, 2009
Address 2464 Upper Terrace, La Crescenta, 91214 http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rls=RNWK,RNWK:2006-06,RNWK:en&q=2464%20Upper%20Terrace%2C%20La%20crescenta%2C%20ca&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
Phone 818 249 2809

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, David! Now you are 20. You have made it through the teen years with grace. Nothing major to regret. Good job! Thank you, David. Thank you, God!

I haven't counted in a while but...it's now been 166 days with no seizures.

In a couple weeks David might be eligible for a driver's permit.

I could cry--these are all such happy things!

Life is good without seizures. For me it's like I was trapped underwater but now have bounced up to the surface. Bounce! Bounce! This is fun!

Merry Christmas

It is a great Christmas. We have so MUCH to be thankful for.

To recap the year:
David had two brain surgeries this summer. (Thank God for brain surgeons, neurologists, HMOs, and paying jobs!) (Dates: late May and end of July.)

The second surgery didn't go well. (Thank God that the surgeon was on top of things.) (8/1)

David had what amounts to a small stroke but he recovered quickly and fully.

Even though he couldn't get the part of the surgery that would have healed his epilepsy, he may be healed anyway!!!

His VNS implant (an epilepsy therapy, like a pacemaker) was not turned on properly after being turned off for surgery so he went 7 weeks on almost no dosing before we discovered the problem. Thank God for that--that is how we know he really may be healed! (9/19)

God faithfully, relentlessly, unremittingly brings good out of evil. Having my boy be unresponsive in the ICU for a day or two was (and is) heartbreaking. But the path since has been full of blessings, little and big. We are learning to look for them and to love them.

Sick again and still no seizures

David has a cold again, his second since August. He is having no seizures. I don't know if this sounds redundant with what I always post. But usually when he has a cold it's a major battle to keep his temperature down as even a slight elevation triggered lots of seizures. It's like we woke up from a bad dream--but I'm not quite awake yet, I don't get it. But it is so very, very good to have this wonderful break after that dreadful episode.