2021: A Second Epilepsy Surgery Work-up, SEEG, and Epilepsy Resection Surgery

Brain Blips: An Epilepsy Journey · 20 hrs ago · 4 views

We were so hopeful.  Again.  That we were done.But we weren't.  And again, we aren't.With intractable seizures.  With epilepsy surgeries.And with pandemic surges.Awesome had another round of Epilepsy pre-surgery testingIn the summer and fall of 2021.All this testingCulminated in a 13-day SEEG in October.And then in late November, Two days before Thanksgiving,All of Awesome's doctors' meticulous data gatheringCareful analysis,Deliberations, discussions, and decision making--Things at which they'd worked so long and diligently--Came to fruition:Awesome had a second left frontal lobe resection surgery. The photo at the beginning of this blogpost is of AwesomeIn the ICU shortlyAfter that late November 2021 resection surgery.We went into this second resection surgeryKnowing that it was likely,If it was successful,To simply reduce Her seizure frequency, length, and severity,Rather than make her seizure free.  Because there were areas that had--During the SEEG stimulations--Proven themselvesCapable of generating seizures, But that simply could not be removed.And so, this was palliative surgery,It was unlikely to be curative.But we also knew going in,That this surgery simply had to be done.Awesome's seizures were once again,Completely out of controlBoth in length and frequency.And just like before her First resection surgery,A few weeks before her second resectionShe'd had an unusually terrifying seizureThat made us worry that we'd lose her.And this seizure also gave her doctors pause.And so, once all the data and analysis work Was done, we were offered a Resection surgery dateAs soon as it could be arranged.And that turned out to be Two days before Thanksgiving.Now, it has been 8 weeks since thatSecond resection surgery, Awesome's doctors tell us that it's farToo early to say what thisSecond surgery has netted her.  That it takes at least 6 months to knowAnd that there's still some possibility That she could become Seizure free as a result of this latest surgery.But honestly, that seems unlikely,Not only had they warned us before surgery,That seizure freedom was unlikely.But Awesome is right now--Eight weeks outFrom her second epilepsy resection surgery--Far from seizure free. In these 8 weeks since her Second resection, she's hadTwenty-one status complex partialsAnd four secondarily generalized tonic-clonics.She's not seizure freeAfter this second resection surgery,Just as she wasn't seizure free after her First resection surgery.But still, her seizures are reduced,From what they were before surgery,Just as they had been after her first resection surgery.And the second surgery has dialed back her seizureSeverity too.  Just as her first surgery had doneWe appreciate all that Awesome's doctors doAnd have done. They are the best.  And so too, the EMU and epilepsy surgery staff.And so too, her treatment team at the hospital that Performed her first surgeryWho also were consulted during this round of surgeries.Awesome's is just a very difficult case.We were so hopeful.  Again.  That we were done.But we weren't.  And again, we aren't.With intractable seizures. With epilepsy surgeries.And with pandemic surges.We strive every day,To live in hope.  And to continue toLive in Hope.For our awesome Awesome.That she will finally get seizure controlSo that she can live the more nearly normal lifeThat she deserves.