Sam's Neuro Appointment

Sam went back to the neurologist today.  They called and asked us to come in earlier than our January appointment.  His MRI on December 1st was "slightly abnormal" but not an emergency.

I knew his MRI showed something like a stroke early on.  I had read the report our pediatrician requested.  But I did not know what that meant, so we got a couple of questions together for the neurologist.

I really like this doctor.  She is kind and easygoing and very smart and easy to understand.  She knows what my questions are when I ask them.

She told me that Sam's affected area is different than Andrew's - I took some of his old records.  But she said that the area affected was in a learning and processing region.  It would also affect focus.

In a nutshell, Sam is either having trouble reading because of a "slowing" in that area.  Or he could be having silent seizures which are different than absence seizures but the same in that you cannot tell someone is having one.

Our next step is to have a 24 or 48 hour EEG to see any signs of silent seizures.  Or wait and see.  If he is having the seizures, his learning will not improve unless treated with seizure meds.  If he is not having them, we would just keep working with him until his brain compensates and overcomes the deficiency.

I told her that I would talk to Pete and call back.  She was totally fine with that.  But I asked her if he would do any better if he was having silent seizures and we did not treat them.  Her answer was no, because it would be like someone with bad asthma trying to run a marathon with no asthma treatment.

My other question, of course, was if Sam is more prone to seizures because of what shows on the MRI.  Unfortunately, the answer to that is yes.  Whether he is having seizures now or not does not really affect that.  And treating silent seizures may not affect stopping other kinds of seizures that may occur in the future.  There are lots of studies on that.

So, the day was full of information.  I am going to talk to our pediatricians before we go ahead with the EEG, but it seems that we need to do that so we will know.

Thanks for praying for Sam.  This is all information we need to know, and we are thankful it showed up in his tests.  All of the labs they did were normal.  That was good news.

Happy New Year!  Thanks again to all of you who pray for our family.  We have literally been carried the last several weeks with other things going on.  God provides the people we need when we need them - the ones we see often and the ones we have not seen or heard from in years.  I know He is with us and will help us with this new/old stuff with Sam.

Sam and I went to Marshalls and bought him a new toy.  He picked out a small truck set from the clearance rack, but the more we wandered around, the more I determined to treat him to something "big" to him.  He was so excited when I pulled out unexpected consignment money a friend gave me the other week and let him choose a big Bruder truck set.  He only wanted one big toy for Christmas, so he really was excited to get something else big.  And somehow, it made me feel better.  He is such a good boy and works really hard.  He has noticed that he has extra help at school and told me the other day that some people with glasses are really smart.  I told him that he is too - that his problem is with reading, not with being smart.  So he is growing up, and I hope he can somehow understand that God will help him through whatever is ahead, sooner than later.

Thanks again.  Be safe and warm!

"I Am Not Alone"  Kari Jobe (my present constant song)

When I walk through deep waters
I know that You will be with me
When I'm standing in the fire
I will not be overcome
Through the valley of the shadow
I will not fear

I am not alone
I am not alone
You will go before me
You will never leave me

In the midst of deep sorrow
I see Your light is breaking through
The dark of night will not overtake me
I am pressing into You
Lord, You fight my every battle
And I will not fear

You amaze me
Redeem me
You call me as Your own

You're my strength
You're my defender
You're my refuge in the storm
Through these trials
You've always been faithful
You bring healing to my soul