The Follow Up

First of all, I want to thank all of you so very much for your prayers and support to us since we've been on this diagnosis path. It has been truly the biggest encouragement to me to experience the love and care of our bothers and sisters in Jesus. THANK YOU! You all are the greatest!

We had our follow up with the neurologist today to talk over the results of Kate's EEG and MRI. Praise the Lord, the MRI results were completely normal. So there is nothing wrong with the structure of her brain that would be causing these problems. As long as there is nothing weird on the blood work results (they aren't in yet as we just had them redrawn yesterday, and I am pretty sure they are going to be normal) then Kate's diagnosis is Epilepsy. The neurologist was unable to pinpoint exactly what kind of seizure Kate has been having from looking at the EEG. She said Kate's entire brain was showing seizure activity which would be considered a generalized seizure. However, it appeared at certain points on the EEG strip that the seizure was beginning on the left side of her brain (which would indicate partial seizures.) But, because the seizure activity then spread so rapidly it was impossible to tell if they are true partial or general seizures. The medication that she has been placed on is to treat both kinds so it doesn't really matter what they are.

The medicine is working really well since Kate has been on it twice a day and she is on the smallest dosage right now, which is great! The game plan from here is that she will follow up with the neurologist every so often and have EEGs intermittently to make sure she really is seizure free. David and I need to keep an eye on her here at home and if we notice seizure activity returning we will call the doctor and increase her medication dose. If we get to a place were, we, the doctor, and the EEGs indicate that she has been seizure free for 2 years then we can begin to taper off her medication and see if perhaps she has grown our of the epilepsy. It is a possibility (and certainly our prayer!) that Kate could grow out of this.

I am just so grateful to the Lord for providing a diagnosis and working treatment plan for us so quickly! You never want your child to be having seizures, but it really appears that we are in the best position we could be given the situation! God is very merciful.

Thank you again for all of your prayers!