Day 3, Saturday, November 27, 2010

Day 3, Saturday, November 27, 2010

Some good news and some not quite as good about Aidan.

When the surgeons did their final tests on Aidan’s brain just hours before the operation on Wednesday, they were pretty sure none of his language functions would be affected. And they were right. Aidan can speak, hear and understand, and read with understanding. What’s more, there was some concern that he would lose some of his peripheral vision, and although no official eye tests have yet been performed, it seems his eyesight has not been affected. We are all very happy and thankful to God for these outcomes.

The doctors also warned us that he would suffer temporarily from major postoperative swelling in his face, closing at least one eye, and inside his head causing constant headache, and some seizures until the swelling went down. This has also come true, and we are waiting for the swelling to subside and for these symptoms to disappear.

This morning the doctors removed his turban bandage and inspected the incision. It is clean, though still draining, and there is no evidence of infection for which we are also profoundly grateful.

The surgeons also were quite sure that very little, if any of his right side motor functions would be affected by the removal of the three inch strip of cortex. In that educated guess they were disappointed. Immediately after coming out of surgery, Aidan was able to twitch a toe and a finger, but although he still has feeling in his right arm and leg, he cannot move them at all.

The physiotherapists moved him into a special bed-chair that helps him sit up more during the day and begin to rebuild balance and muscle tone after lying still in bed for two weeks. Because of the extreme weakness in Aidan’s right limbs, he will need intensive physiotherapy in a special hospital, probably for quite a long time.

Jo asked him what he was feeling, sad, or angry, or disappointed. He answered “All three!” Aidan needs hope and the expectation of good recovery. Without hope for eventual improvement, he will not have the determination to eat when he is not hungry, or to do his therapy exercises when he just wants to lie down and rest.

What Aidan needs is “endurance inspired by hope” (1 Thess. 1:3, NIV) Please pray.