Phase I Scheduled

I was finally able to get in contact with the scheduler for Texas Medical Center's EMU (Epilepsy Monitoring Unit). She was on vacation last week and JUST returned today. She had to search for Jace's paperwork that was left on her desk while she was away. She finally found it and scheduled us to check in Tuesday, December 7th at 7:30am.

Here is a video explaining what the EMU actually is. They are much more relaxed than the typical inpatient rooms for a hospital stay. They allow visitors of any age since there are no sick patients there and they actually take care of the caregivers/parents that stay with the children.



Phase I Evaluation for this Epilepsy Surgery is on average 3-5 days. However it can be shorter or longer....it all depends on when the doctors get enough information to be satisfied with their findings.

Phase I will consists of a continuous vEEG (video EEG) and possibly decreasing or removing medications so that seizures can occur and be seen on the EEG. Along with a continuous vEEG, they will do a MRI and a MEG scan. The MRI will be able to show the white matter of the brain that is developed and will show contrast of the normal to the abnormal areas. Since Jace is still young he does not have all of his white matter developed just yet so not everything will show. The MEG (Magnetoencephalography) helps to measure epileptic activity and where in the brain it is originating from. This is much more thorough than putting together an EEG and the MRI. This will combine a picture of the brain and the activity occurring simultaneously - hopefully showing a focal point of the seizure activity. This will also show much more closely the healthy areas of the brain and where the activity of that is originating so that later for surgery that area is not affected.

This is much easier when the patients are older but with Jace he can't possible answer questions and respond to stimuli while hooked up. The MEG could possibly show if there are seizure occurring form areas of the brain that the regular MRI may not show yet.

 Jace is not old enough for the neuropsychiatric testing so we get a free pass on that one! Depending on what the doctors need to get all the information they need there may be more test.

Jace's mood and personality is just blooming everyday! I am REALLY enjoying it! He is giving kisses like crazy, smiling and laughing - all of which absolutely melts my heart!! I will have to catch a video of him kissing....its so sweet!

For the past week Jace has been waking up in the middle of the night often and screaming. It seems to be a combination of his last 2 teeth making their way through and the start of dreaming? From what I understand dreams start around this age so I am guessing this random night waking is normal. I am not sure but I can attest that the newborn stage prepares you for the possibility of sleepless nights in the future. Those babies train the parents in the beginning! LOL

This is a phase! This too shall pass!

I want to add a cute video I found about being a mother