Update time again

We've been back to Fort Worth to spend time with some of our favorite medical personnel, and have a little further information to share.

First, the really pretty exciting news is that Adam has only had 3 seizures since we left the hospital after his epilepsy surgery last November. That is pretty amazing! All three of them happened on days when he was either extra tired or late on a dose of medication...so possibly avoidable. He has been on an extended release version of his medication for about a month, and the hope is that will help to cover slight variations in the time he takes his meds. Still...this is really pretty incredible since he had averaged 1-2 per month prior to the surgery.

Second, as we've been reporting, there really haven't been sustained positive results from the DBS that was implanted in March. After lots of tests and adjustments of the current implant, Dr. Marks is now recommending a second implant. He will consult with the neurosurgeon further, but the possibilities that they are looking at are 1) keeping the current implant in place (GPi) and adding a second implant in the STN, 2) removing the current implant (in the GPI location), and adding two implants in two new locations...one in the STN, and a second one in the thalamus. We may not know which option they recommend until the day of the surgery. At one point they were also discussing adding a lead to the opposite side of the brain...but the MEG scan that he had in August does not show a need for that option.

At one point recently, it was suggested that the surgery might happen as quickly as next week, but we learned that wasn't going to work out for all of the folks involved. Instead, he will most likely be having the surgery on Friday, Oct. 19. This works out really nicely for us since it is Adam's fall break, and he won't miss as many class sessions. At this point we're scheduled to return for programming on Tuesday, Oct. 30, which is Brian's birthday. Kind of fitting since we drove down to Fort Worth on Peggy's birthday for the most recent appointment which was the following morning. I guess this is the year of medical birthday celebrations!

We'll be adding more information when we know more...probably not until we go for the surgery in October. Until then, happy brain health everyone!