A Very Good Day

Today is a very good day. Today Ashley saw her neurosurgeon, and he has decided to not do brain surgery right now.

Ashley was diagnosed with two brain tumors this past June. Her seizures, which had been controlled for years with medication, began coming at an alarming rate. The neurologist prescribed higher doses of medication and added in additional meds, but still the seizures didn’t stop. He then ordered an MRI, and that is how the tumors were identified.

Last week, three months after the first MRI, Ashley had another one. This new MRI revealed three tumors, not two, but also showed that the two identified in June had not grown at all. The neurosurgeon feels the third tumor was just missed on the June MRI. As he stated in June, he does not feel the seizures are a result of the tumors. The neurologist disagreed initially, and I haven’t spoken with him since the latest MRI.

So, based on the information from the latest MRI, the neurosurgeon does not want to do surgery right now. He would like to wait six months and then do another MRI. He did say, of course, that if we had any concerns in the meantime, to call him. I really like this doctor, and I trust him with my child’s life. So, if he thinks it is safe to wait, we will wait. But still we are left with few answers.

Ashley is on three seizure medications now, and yet she still has 3-5 seizures a week. That is, of course, better than the 5-7 she was having each day. The neurosurgeon has suggested to the neurologist that an EEG be done. I haven’t heard if we will do that or not, but if it will help, I’m all for it. And still, even though none of the doctors agree with me, I think hormones may be playing a role in the seizure increase also.

So, while we still have some answers to find, I can finally breathe normally again knowing that brain surgery is not imminent. Heck, I might even be able to sleep tonight!