Hello Friends,
We heard last week that Cutter will be having surgery. Two of them, actually. They are not sure how extensive the surgeries are going to be until they get started. We don't know when exactly everything will take place, but we know it will all start sometime in August. We should expect to be at the hospital around 3 weeks.
Cutter will first have a special type of MRI, then be injected with a special glucose-type dye during one of his seizures to see exactly what happens where when he has a seizure. Then, they will perform a surgery called "mapping" where they will place electrodes on the surface of the brain. They will close him up and monitor him for 3-7 days. This is like an EEG, only better. This is the test that will tell them exactly where Cutter's seizures are coming from. He will go about his normal routine while being hooked up to the electrodes. (I don't know how he will do with wires coming out of his head! I wouldn't think he would be too keen on this!) Then, they will do a second surgery to remove the electrodes. Depending on the data found this is also when they will (hopefully) remove the spot that is causing all of the problems. They just need to make sure that the spot is not sitting on his motor strip, which is a big concern right now. After the surgery is complete he will stay in the hospital another 3-5 days recovering. He should be back to his normal self in about six weeks after coming home.
This news was big to us. We have prayed for a plan, for direction, and we certainly have been given one. God never fails to provide. Now, we just have to wait and see when this process is going to start and how it will go. Regardless of whether or not they take out the spot we realize that this is what is needed to figure out a solution. If they are unable to remove the spot without damaging other functions they will come up with another solution to control Cutter's seizures.
Cutter is still have seizures almost daily, though they have decreased from an average of 50 a day to 20 a day, which we are very thankful for. There have even been a few days where Cutter has not had any seizures. Through it all he has been a trooper and continues to be a little ham! We love him so much. He is talking more and learning new things every day. There is no telling what he is going to teach the new baby!
Thank you, thank you for all of your prayers. God has provided us with such a wonderful, loving support system. We have the best friends and family members anyone could ever want. You will never know how much you mean to us. Please keep us in your prayers!
