Jessie's Surgery Date Set

Surgery Date Set

It’s been almost 3 and ½ years since we traveled to Johns Hopkins for Jessie’s initial brain surgery. Any time a hemispherectomy is performed; there is a chance that seizures will return, although they are usually less frequent and less severe than before surgery. We have watched many families go through a second surgery, and have always hoped that this wouldn’t happen to Jessie.

But here we are…..

I have said this many times, and I continue to emphasize it. We are blessed. There are many families, who we have met, that have no options of treatment, no hope for a brighter future. As hard as it may be to believe, we are the lucky ones. We have options and we have hope that Jessie can lead a life free of seizures.

This is what this second surgery is all about. It is about giving her that chance. Watching what the seizures did to her last week in the hospital made it an easy decision. Starting to carry Diastat (Seizure Rescue Medication) again, and increasing her seizure medication just brought back all of the old memories, but this time the decision was easy. Brain surgery is not the only option. We could try increased doses of seizure medication, and that might work, or maybe not. Brain surgery might not even work, but if it does, she can be free of the seizures and medications of epilepsy.

There are no guarantees with brain surgery, and the risks are real and present. On the positive side, however, and if all goes well, her hospital stay shouldn’t be nearly as long as after her hemispherectomy. Also, she shouldn’t lose any function that she currently has, which means no in-patient rehab on the 6th Floor at Cooks.

So, Surgery is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 16th at Cook Children’s Medical Center. Dr. David Donahue will be doing the surgery. We are confident that he can do the job, as he has considerable hemispherectomy experience. This means that we will not be traveling to Johns Hopkins for this surgery. Dr. Donahue has been taking care of Jessie with shunt surgery and revisions, and we are confident that he can do a fine job on this surgery.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and gifts for Jessie. Please keep the prayers up. We respectfully ask that in place of gifts, you send a card or make a donation in Jessie’s honor to one of the following organizations.

The Hemispherectomy Foundation http://www.HemiFoundation.org

The RE Children’s Project http://www.rechildrens.org

Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy http://www.cureepilepsy.org

Blessings to All,
Cris