AIDAN’S TEST
This week Aidan, our ten year-old grandson, who started suffering seizures two years ago, underwent a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan (FMRI) on his brain which was damaged by a pre-natal stroke.. This is a special interactive experimental test to discover exactly which parts of his brain are dead and must be surgically removed to stop the seizures. It is critical for the surgeons to know exactly what parts of his brain are alive and need to be left untouched. The dead area is very near the part of the brain that normally controls language and the surgeons hope that during his early growing up years this function has shifted to the healthy side of his brain.
This week Aidan, our ten year-old grandson, who started suffering seizures two years ago, underwent a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan (FMRI) on his brain which was damaged by a pre-natal stroke.. This is a special interactive experimental test to discover exactly which parts of his brain are dead and must be surgically removed to stop the seizures. It is critical for the surgeons to know exactly what parts of his brain are alive and need to be left untouched. The dead area is very near the part of the brain that normally controls language and the surgeons hope that during his early growing up years this function has shifted to the healthy side of his brain.
Aidan had a cluster of seizures just before meeting the FMRI technicians but he was okay to receive 45 minutes of practice, training and instruction. Then he went into the FMRI tube with orders to lie as still as he could but move his arms when told to do so. He was in the machine for 90 minutes, the maximum time a patient can be in there. The doctor thinks he got good useable data. Aidan’s response to the experience, “Totally cool!”
AIDAN’S FUTURE SURGERY
The data needs further analysis and study, thus no date for the surgery has been set yet. It may be in late summer or early fall. We pray that the surgery will be successful and the seizures will be stopped, and that there will no lasting damage to any essential part of his brain. We also pray that the surgery will be soon so that Aidan will be fully recovered in time to start school again this fall.
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