Reality Check at the Doctor's Office Yesterday

jordon412

33 Year Old Railfan
In case anyone on the Forums who don't already know, I have epilepsy and I've been dealing with seizures for several years. On December first, I had another seizure, which also resulted in me dislocated my shoulder for the fourth time. Yesterday, Monday, December 10th, I went to a new neurologist in Chattanooga and it was the most thorough neurologist visit I've ever had. This resulted in me learning stuff that, believe it or not, I didn't know of. First off, I've got a scar on the right side of my brain. Second off, I may have sleep apnea, which the doctor suggest checking to see if I do or not. Third, the seizures could come from either the left frontal lobe or the left temporal lobe, which are the most common places for the seizures to come from. Fourth, I will have to go to Emory Medical Center in Atlanta next year to have some tests done to figure out where the seizures are coming from. This would mean that I have to spend five days in the hospital while the tests are done. Fifth, if all other ways to stop the seizure fail, well, I may be facing brain surgery. This would result in either removing the part of the brain that is causing the seizures or putting in an implant that produces a small bit of electricity whenever a seizure begins to counteract it. The thing that worries me most is that they have to remove part of my brain, specifically the temporal lobe, because that is where memories are kept so everything that has happened to me, and I worry that that will result in losing memories, which is something I don't want to happen. However, this will result in reducing the number of seizures or even eliminate them completely. I just hope and pray that I don't end up having that surgery.
Wish me luck,
Jordon Freeman, jordon412 on the Forums
 
That's terrifying Jordan, sorry to hear about what must be a great shock. What I wish for you is not luck, but a really skilled surgical team and the best treatments that science can offer. But also luck. I hope electricity does the job and that surgery isn't required.

~ Deane
 
Evening Jordan,

I have had many a friend over the last 50 yrs that suffered from epilepsy, Grand Mal, Petite Mal and other forms of it.

And back then they didn't know all that much, and basically as you have stated, Medication and/or potential Surgery was the only way they could counteract if possible the Short Circuit effect that occurs in the Brain.....At least that is the way I understand it.......

I searched Google for term epilepsy, and posted a link here for you......It might show some additional information on your condition as well as some other documentation of Case studies.......

https://www.google.com/search?q=epilepsy&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1

This other search is specific for Case Studies on epilepsy patients.

https://www.google.com/search?clien....gws-wiz.......0i71j0i131i67j0i67.rkcyyMwIULE

I wish you the very best outcome, and sending you a Virtual Prayer too.......Can't imagine how hard this can be when it could affect your memories.......It takes a mighty brave person to share such a story as you have with us........

May God look over you in the days ahead and provide the strength to get thru this tough period in your life..............
 
You have my utmost sympathy Jordon. Living with any chronic health condition is the pits which I certainly know from having severe type 1 narcolepsy. Brain surgery though; - I know if any of my doctors suggested that to me I would be yelling, 'No No No.....!' very loudly at them. I do however wish you well and hope that whatever interventions are necessary they do go well and improve your quality of life.
 
I wish you luck Jordan
and I hope you don't have to have that surgery


btw my bestfriend Michaela Perry that I've known since middle school and high school has epilepsy also and sometimes she has had bad seizures
 
Trials like this bring us back to what is really important... I had a slight scare a month ago (concerning heart) which turned out to be nothing. I can't imagine the weight of having something like this on your shoulders. I wish you strength and confidence and I pray your problems come to great conclusions.
 
Ouch! not what you need to hear, however it's good that your neurologist seems to be on the ball, best wishes for a sucessful outcome.
 
Thanks everyone. I also want to give some positives about Emory Medical Center:
Positives:
1. They've got WiFi, so I can get on the Forums and watch videos on YouTube
2. They've got TV (hopefully cable)
3. My sister lives and works nearby so she can see me
4. I'm having my Mom coming with me so that I could have a 'gopher' so that she can 'go' and do stuff 'for' me, specifically going to McDonalds to get me something to eat

Negatives:
1. THE WORST NEGATIVE: I can't take my desktop computer with me and work on Trainz
2. I'll be stuck in the hospital so I can't go out and do stuff, specifically going to the Hobbytown USA in Kennesaw, which is somewhere I try to go to whenever I'm in Atlanta
3. I may not be able to watch the stuff on TV there that I watch at home
4. I'll be stuck dealing with 'hospital food', which includes vegetables. The word 'vegetables' is not part of my vocabulary. I'm thinking about putting a sign on the door to my room that says 'No vegetables allowed beyond this point'. I'm a meatatarian. Give me a juicy steak or a freshly grilled burger and I'm a happy person. Then again, French toast and bacon will also be good. Besides, everything goes better with bacon, right? Hopefully I can get my Mom to 'sneak in' that food from McDonalds
5. I wouldn't be surprised if they won't let me have any sweet tea in my room, which I'm sure I'll be complaining about the whole time I'm there
 
Wow!

That's a lot of "news" and stuff to think about. After all is said and done, and after you've been poked, prodded, stabbed, and irradiated multple times, let's hope the doctors opt for the more sane approach at least at first if they can, rather than a lobotomy. Deep brain stimulation has proven to be quite successful with many disorders including Parkinson Disease, dystonia, chronic pain, various movement disorders, and epilepsy.

The system introduces electronic "noise" into the circuits which interfere with the nerves that trigger the seizures and other things. For people with Parkinson disease, this technique is used to stop the dyskinesia and severe tremors successfully, and has actually helped reduce the amount of medication the patient needs to take on a daily basis.

With that said I wish you lots of luck, well more than lots of luck, on your journey here. Stay positive and keep pushing forward, and by all means don't dwell on the worst what-ifs and possibilities.
 
Update

Just got a call from the doctor's office and I have an appointment at Emory Medical Center in Atlanta in March. That's the good news, the bad news is it's at 8AM, and we need to be there to check in at 7AM Now that may not seem that much of a problem but Rush Hour in Atlanta runs between 6AM and 9AM, and if you've never been to Atlanta in Rush Hour, well, be ready to sit and wait in your car, end up crawling down the interstate (particularly when construction is going on), and get ready to see some crazy drivers. Add on to the fact that it's a hour and a half drive down there, add in Atlanta traffic, and that at least adds on another half hour, maybe a hour, to your drive. Then I've got an EEG at 11AM. Fortunately I'm coming home on the same day instead of having to spend the night there and come back the next day, or even longer.
 
Another Update

So yesterday I had a seizure. Fortunately, I didn't dislocate my shoulder, as I sitting and then feel forward onto the floor and landed on it. I ended up spending most of the remainder of the day laying in the bed so my mom could keep an eye on me. Maybe only getting 2 3/4 hours of sleep might have contributed to the seizure.
 
Hi Jordan,

Wish I had something to say that would make you feel better, however, I'm 72 and have my own set of medical situations. Just hang in there and do the best you can, that's all you can do really.

Reading your post of February 18th, I drove through Atlanta last October and I know exactly what you're talking about when you discuss Atlanta traffic. Took me and my "wife" over two hours to get from East Atlanta to the hiway heading to Chattanooga. And wouldn't you know it, we hit Atlanta right at noon rush hour. We were heading back to Arkansas after visiting my aunt in Grovetown, GA.

My Brother-in-law has epilepsy and he takes a lot of medication for it also. He's about 66 years old and about six foot three; big strong guy. But we know epilepsy doesn't pick and choose who it affects.

I will keep you in my prayers and hope everything goes well for you this month. If you're ever thinking about coming up Jonesboro way, send me a PM in advance and we can make plans to meet and I'll show you one of the best places in America to watch Trains!


Warmest Regards,

David Snow
 
So yesterday I had a seizure. Fortunately, I didn't dislocate my shoulder, as I sitting and then feel forward onto the floor and landed on it. I ended up spending most of the remainder of the day laying in the bed so my mom could keep an eye on me. Maybe only getting 2 3/4 hours of sleep might have contributed to the seizure.

Please get better. Don't let it kick you A**. My wife is trying to get over chemotherapy, and it's not going well, she fell yesterday, and is in terrible shape now. My Uncle was told he had 6 month to live and he proved them wrong and lived another 25 years. Be strong, and reach out if you need support, it can and will get better. (although you may need to eat your vegetables)
 
Hi Jordan,


Hope you are resting more comfortable now, so glad you didn't break anything........

Tomorrow is Ash Weds and when I go to Church tomorrow, there will be a prayer said for you, asking the Lord above to bless and comfort you during this tough time..........

And as I am typing here, a Virtual Prayer is said and on it's way to you.............
 
Beginning today at 11:00AM, I cannot have any caffeine nor sugar for 24 hours because I have an EEG scheduled tomorrow at Emory Medical Center in Atlanta. That sucks 'cause I love chocolate and sweet tea. In the case of the tea, I've had to make tea with artificial sweeter, which tastes awful. However, I am allowed stay up as late as possible without going to sleep, but I'm not allowed to sleep no more than four hours. This means that I have more time to not only watch TV, but also be on the Forums, and also spending time playing Trainz. My mom and dad are coming along tommorrow and we'll more than likely be stopping off somewhere to have breakfast. The problem is that i always get biscuits and grape jelly with sweet tea for breakfast, as I'm not a coffee person. Since I'm not allowed any sugar, i won't be able to have grape jelly with the biscuits. Also, all fast food places serve their tea with caffeine in them, so tea with my breakfast is also out the window. Because I'm not a coffee person, I guess I'll have to go with orange juice, which more than likely will have pulp in it, which I hate, and I'll have to replace grape jelly with butter. I also can't have pancakes because I'll have syrup with them, which of course is loaded with sugar, so forget that. To finish off this post, here's some words of wisdom that my Mom says that I'll be hearing plenty of during this 24 hour period: "Life's though, get over it."
 
My being T2 diabetic, I stopped using sugar altogether, no flavored coffee creamers, and no sweetener substitutes, no salts, rare carbs, and rare ice cream, only diet tonic water, and a 1/2 teaspoon of bottled lemon/lime juice in my ice water, or gin ... I have totally modified my diet, completely ... I absolutely love pulp ...but OJ is the worst thing for humans as it is orange nectar ... milk, tea, juice (and all other drinks besides pure unadulterated H2O) are diuretics, as they deplete your system of twice, or more, water than you intake

I eat pancakes and french toast without any syrup ... only cinnamon
 
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