Welcome to our blog! I originally started this blog in November 2010 just prior to having a major brain surgery to remove a large bleeding cavernous angioma from a deep part of my brain. You can best understand the gravity of our experience by reading the first several entries.(Nov 2010-Dec 2010) I wrote the first one and my sweet, adoring husband, John, wrote the next several (while I was too sick to do much of anything) that documented surgery, immediate recovery, and our reaction to the surgery complication (stroke)that was revealed 2 days after surgery. This recovery process has been difficult but we are making it. We appreciate all the kind words of encouragement we have received and we would like to thank everyone that has participated in helping us along this difficult journey. Also, if you have any questions about my personal experience, please leave them as a comment or contact me directly at thankfulforeveryday@yahoo.com and I will respond although I am not a doctor and this is not a replacement for medical care or advise. Please ask a real professional, or probably several. :) I hope to be able to help at least one person along the challenging road of brain surgery and recovery.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Keep the good news coming

We just got some really great news. My latest EEG did not show any seizure activity(abnormal activity, yes, but seizures, no), and my seizure specialist doctor said I can stop taking Keppra! That is so exciting to me for many reasons. Probably the first reason is that this helps us put all this bad stuff behind us. Having a seizure free EEG is not something that would have happened without surgery because of all the old blood I had in my brain that was irritating everything. Prior to surgery I was having 20-30 seizures a day. It was really hard to deal with...and that is over!!! While the risk will always still be there, now due to scar tissue and old blood from the monster that was in my head, I am so relieved to hopefully have this bad part in the past. If for some reason the bad feelings (seizures) come back (which they never will), I was instructed to start taking the Keppra again and follow up with the doctor ASAP. It was a heartfelt goodbye, hoping I will never see him again...even though he's a really nice doctor. I just felt like this was one big part of this whole thing done! We made it. At times I wasn't quite sure I would live to do all of this, so every time a goal is met I am brought to tears...happy tears...so truly thankful for everyday...this is such a wonderful gift to appreciate every day life to this degree. I can't even explain it. This also means that I may be able to have another pregnancy in the not so distant future. I would rather not take any medication if I am able to have another baby, and now we are one step closer to that reality. I am also hoping my fatigue will improve without the Keppra. When I first started taking it I was really groggy, eventually "adjusting" to it, but maybe now I can "re-adjust" to not having it and have bounds of energy once again!! At least I'm hoping for that. :) So here we are, reaching another milestone of success. So wonderful to be coming back to life!!!

7 comments:

  1. Elizabeth, so glad to hear of your progress! We love you. Keep up your good work, you are in our prayers. Much love to your Family. Aunt Cathy & Uncle Joe

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  2. Elizabeth,
    I'm so happy for you!!! :)
    Keppra & the other anticonvulsants are NO fun, so I can feel your relief.
    One more step on your road to recovery - yay, Elizabeth!
    Best wishes always,
    Patti

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  3. Aunt Cathy, Uncle Joe, and Patti,
    Thank you so much for your kind words and continued encouragement. We really appriciate all of you!!
    Love, Elizabeth, John, and Jack

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  4. All I can say is WAHOO! What wonderful news.

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  5. That is so good!

    It is also very exciting that a new baby is a possibility.
    Such big changes can be looked forward to in your future now that you are recovering!

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  6. This is awesome! I am so happy to hear this news! Things are slowly but surely coming together.

    -Christopher

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  7. Yes, awesome pretty much sums it up. Thanks everyone!!
    Linda,
    I need to get this nasty fatigue under control before we can think about more sleepless nights...but there is hope there...moving in the right direction and no seizures makes the possibility of another baby more realistic:)

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