Surprise!

So, we found out two bits of good news yesterday. First, Dominic's case was presented at the neurology conference in Detroit and all the neuros agreed that a hemispherectomy was the best decision for Dominic. Everyone was on the same page and no one thought any further testing was needed. This is great news, it gives us peace of mind knowing that there are no conflicting opinions. Second, we found out his surgery was moved up to August 2nd! Yep, that's less than two weeks away! This is great news, but also really scary and overwhelming. When it was a month away, it still seemed a ways off. Now I'm in freak-out mode. We meet with Dr. Sood on Monday and get our surgical packet of information from Dr. Chugani. This is all becoming so real, I'm not sure I can handle it.

We are so grateful that Dominic is a surgical candidate and while there are a lot of risks, it is riskier to not have the surgery. We also just can't get over the outpouring of love and prayers we have received over the past 8 months. Our close friends and family have been there every step of the way, offering support, meals, prayers and advice. There are also people I've never met or even talked to that have heard about Dominic one way or another. It melts my heart how many people are praying for us and the kindness complete strangers have shown us. God continues to bless us through so many different people all over the country.

Mike and I just want to thank everyone for continuing to lift us up in prayer. The next couple weeks and months will be difficult with the surgery, recovery and rehabilitation. We continue to ask for your prayers - prayers for the doctors who will be operating, the nurses who will be caring for Dominic, for peace and wisdom for Mike and I, and for our little Mitchell - just that he wouldn't get lost in the shuffle; that he would feel love and cared for during this time of craziness. While we know this is the right decision, we cant' help but worry that something could go wrong. And yet we aren't supposed to worry, we are told to bring our requests to God and He will give us the peace that transcends all understanding. That is my prayer - that God will hold my little Dominic through all of this and give us all peace and let us rest in His love. No matter what happens, we pray that God's will would be done and that He would give us the strength to endure whatever comes.

Hurry Up!

All dressed up

This surgery can't come quick enough! We have had two really bad days this past week. Wednesday, Dominic had 15 seizures before 1:00 pm. During most of these, he gagged or vomited and his eyes rolled rapidly back and forth. I had to give him an extra dose of Keppra and Clonopin and if he had any more seizures, he needed to be take to the ER. Fortunately, after another Clonopin, his seizures stopped. He was okay for a couple more days, only having a few seizures each day. Then last night was a nightmare. We were at my cousin's wedding two hours away and he had seizures ALL NIGHT LONG. By all night, I mean from 2:00 am until 7:00 am he had at least 12 seizures. Some as close as 3 minutes apart. We gave him a second Clonopin dose at 3:00 am and then a second dose of Keppra at 4:30 am. By 7:00, we finally called Neurology because we didn't know what to do. We were told if he had one more seizure to give him Diastat (which is a shot up the butt) and if he had more after that, to take him to the ER. Thank the good Lord that he did not have another seizure after that, so we did not need to give him Diastat. He actually had a really good day after that. He was super tired and lethargic because of all the drugs, but no more seizures. I feel like we are just trying to survive through the next month when he'll finally have surgery. Days (and nights) like this just really reaffirm our decision to have this surgery.

I love this little guy!

The Jurgensen Clan

Our Family

All tuckered out at the reception

People have questioned whether we really need to do this quite yet or why we didn't have a second opinion. But both Mike and I feel that this is EXACTLY where God wants us. He has put each doctor in our lives for a reason and we feel totally blessed that we got in to see Dr. Chugani so quickly and were able to schedule the surgery so quickly. It's a very hard decision to decide that the best thing you can do for your baby is to put him under the knife, risk his life, and cut out his brain. But this is the point we are at and we feel so at peace with this decision. We just need the peace and patience to get through the next month!

If You're Happy and You Know It

We are happy in the Dunlap house! Today we found out Dominic's surgery is scheduled for August 24th. Unless for some reason they can move it up, but August is pretty busy for Dr. Sood. So, we're planning on this as the big day. Part of me is so excited to just have the surgery, be done with seizures and meds and move on with our lives. But there is another part of me that wonders if we are rushing this. Did we try enough meds? Maybe it's too risky. Maybe it won't work. I spoke with Dr. Arndt today and he feels pretty confident in Dr. Sood and that surgery is the best option. He is awaiting the report from Dr. Chugani, along with the scans, to decide whether he thinks we should definitely move forward or if we should consider a second opinion. With as straight forward as this surgery seems, because they have a definite focus, he thinks Dominic is a perfect candidate. Only if the EEG results weren't matching up with the PET scan results and MRI results, would he suggest possible going somewhere else. Mike and I have been talking about and praying about this for awhile and anyone who knows Mike knows he doesn't make big decisions easily. Buying a house, a car, taking a new job - all these things he spends much time debating, researching and praying about. I on the other hand, am much more compulsive. So, the fact that Mike is gung ho and ready to roll just reaffirms that this is the right decision. But, it's not like buying a new pair of shoes. It's asking someone to cut out part of your baby's brain. It's a big decision. We don't want to make the wrong one.

On a lighter note, I took this video of Dominic when we were in the hospital. He was on half a dose of meds here and you can see what a happy, joyful little soul he is. Underneath all the layers of drugs and seizures is this tiny little boy just waiting to come out. I am so excited I got to see a glimpse of the real Dominic for a little bit. He even snorts when he laughs! It makes me so excited and hopeful for what he will be like after surgery, with no seizures or meds.




We also found out today that we have our first meeting with Dr. Sood on August 8th. In this meeting we'll review the surgery and get all of our questions answered. At that point I'm sure this will all start to sink in and we'll start freaking out. For the time being, we'll just try to stay positive and get through each day.

Hoping once he's off meds and free of seizures he'll start smiling in pictures instead of looking like he's stoned all the time :o)

God is Good All the Time

And all the time, God is good! We found out today that Dominic will have the surgery! I first received an email this morning from Dr. Chugani letting me know that based on the PET scan and EEG, Dominic is an excellent candidate for the surgery. He had a couple questions about how Dominic uses his right hand and arm, and said we'd talk later. He called me this afternoon and said that Dominic's PET scan showed little brain activity in the left hemisphere of his brain. Of what little part did show activity, that was the focus of the seizures. So, basically, Dominic's left hemisphere is dead. They will be removing the outer layer of the cerebral cortex, the portion that is causing the seizures. He was originally concerned that if Dominic was able to use his right hand well, that he would lose that functionality. However, since he doesn't, he probably lost that function awhile ago. Any progress he has made so far is probably due to the right side of the brain taking over that function. Dr. Chugani does not think that Dominic will lose any function after the surgery. The only thing he will lose is his right peripheral vision. But he said he'd be surprised if he had it now anyway.  It just goes to show how much Dominic has already overcome. The fact that he is progressing - rolling over, sitting, babbling, using his right arm - this is most likely due to the right side of the brain taking over. Amazing! What a little champ!

We feel incredibly fortunate and blessed that surgery is an option for Dominic. Mike and I have talked a lot and we both feel that God is leading us down this path. Three months ago, we prayed that surgery would never need to be an option, but we've come to the point that it is the only option to give Dominic the best shot at life. Dr. Chugani said that we will most likely have the surgery within the next month. No other testing needs to be done. He is presenting Dominic's case at the Epilepsy surgery conference on July 18th. This is just a chance for all the neurologists and neurosurgeons to get together and discuss, to make sure no one is missing anything and to see if anyone feels anything else should be done prior to surgery. We will then meet with Dr. Sood, the neurosurgeon, and discuss the surgery. He will walk us through what they will do, the risks/benefits and all the details of the surgery and recovery. Dr. Chugani made is sound like the surgery is pretty cut and dry - only a one step surgery and they have a definite source of seizures. Dominic will probably only be in the hospital for a week or so. He will recover for about a month and can then continue with therapy. He said that at a year post-surgery, Dominic should be med free! Unbelievable! This is such an answer to prayer, such an amazing gift, and completely crazy. I never thought I would be this happy and overwhelmed with joy that my 9 month old son is having part of his brain removed. But all I can think about is his chance at a "normal" life. A life without seizures, a life without meds, a happy life. Praise be to God!

Detroit PET scan - Day 3

I'm surprised I remember most of this day, I am so tired. Last night was horrible. Dominic wasn't allowed to eat after 2:00am, so I woke him up to nurse him at 1:30. Probably not the best idea since he was in a dead sleep, but I knew if I didn't feed him, he would be starving later. But pretty much after that until 6:00 am he was inconsolable. He was crying and fussing no matter what I did. If I put him down, he screamed. He didn't want his thumb or a pacifier. He rocked him, I walked around with him. Nothing worked. The nurse finally gave him more Tylenol and he seemed to calm down a little. But then he proceeded to have 3 seizures in the following two hours. He finally fell asleep in Mamma's arms at 6:00.

Dominic and his Mamma

Just hanging out with Mom

A happier moment

Finally falling asleep in Mamma's arms

We were then discharged at 7:30 am and sent down to the PET center. He still had the electrodes on his head because they do another 30 min. EEG prior to the PET scan while they let the radioactive dye they inject circulate through his body. Yeah, that was weird too - being told your baby would be radioactive for the next 24 hours and to keep him away from other kids. That sounds safe! Anyway, after the 30 min. EEG they removed his cap and the electrodes and we realized why this poor baby had been so fussy. He must be allergic to the paste they use to stick the electrodes to his head, because he had 26 open sores and blisters all over his poor little head. Some of them were bleeding and some still had puffy blisters and some were just open sores. The poor, poor thing. No wonder he was in so much pain. I felt so awful for him. We got him cleaned up and he went in for the PET. They sedated him and the scan took about 25 minutes. After that, we waited until he woke up, shampooed his head and slathered him in Neosporin. They wanted to have the doctor check him out to make sure the blisters weren't a reaction to the radioactive dye, rather than just the paste. Finally, after he was checked out we were released. Now I just had an hour drive to my sister-in-laws and then another two hour drive home to look forward to.

Giving him the dye

Taking off the electrodes

Poor baby, all those blisters!

Going in for the PET

It doesn't look like it, but he's happy to go home

We're ready too!

Mitchell, Dominic and I finally arrived home around 3:30 and the rest of the night was mostly a blur, I was so tired. I had emailed Dr. Chugani asking when we would get the results and he promptly responded that his EEG was currently being reviewed and we'd get the PET results Friday. I'm pretty sure we went out to dinner so I didn't have to cook or clean. Then it was off to bed. I'm very happy to be home but I am anxious to find out what the next steps are. In the meantime, we'll try to relax, enjoy the weekend and catch up on sleep.

Detroit EEG - Day 2

Today was long, mostly because we've been confined to this small room for nearly 35 hours. Dominic has been super cranky. He was up all night having seizures and can't sleep during the day because half of the slats are missing from the window's vertical blinds. He does not want to be put down and I haven't nursed him this much since he was 2 months old! It seems to be the only way to calm him down. Although Mamma did rock him for awhile today to give me a break. Because he had so many seizures last night, they decided they had recorded enough seizure activity and wanted to put him back at his regular dose of meds this morning. They didn't want him to have any more seizures than necessary but still wanted to keep him hooked up to the EEG. So, we've spent the majority of our day reading, playing cards, playing with Dominic, feeding Dominic and eating. I've never looked so forward to my next meal before, simply because it was something to do. I think we're all ready to get outta here tomorrow. The PET scan is scheduled for 8:00 am, which means we'll get out of here around 10:00. Not too bad.

Cute boy

In his new "Hugh Hefner" robe from Mamma

Thinking he's hilarious

I was so anxious for so many weeks leading up to this, and now it's almost over and I'm at such peace right now. I still don't know what Dr. Chugani will have to say - he may want to wait awhile to have the surgery, he may think that because Dominic is still developing, the risks of surgery might outweigh the benefits. Or, they might find seizure activity on both sides of the brain, which would mean surgery would not be a solution. There are a lot of things he could say. But I know that whatever he says and whatever the next steps are, I am at peace. We are just praying now that the PET goes well tomorrow and that they would indeed locate the specific area where the seizures are coming from and that surgery would be the best solution. But in the end, it's all in God's hands.

Detroit EEG - Day 1

It's 1:35 am and we're all settled in here at Children's Hospital of Michigan. Dominic, my MIL, and I arrived here at 1:00. We're nice and cozy in this little room with only a couch for a bed and a recliner. Doesn't really matter though since we're not allowed to sleep. I was actually praying that Dominic would have some seizures tonight since he hadn't had any all morning or afternoon, despite being on only half of his normal dose of meds. I figured that would be my luck that we would spend 3 days here hooked up to an EEG and he wouldn't have any seizures. But, I was not disappointed. At 10:20 pm he had his first and he has pretty much had one about every 20 minutes since. They are much more intense than his usual ones. He projectile vomited during one of them. During his second one, it was getting close to 3 minutes and all these doctors and nurses came running in scrambling around to find his monitors and emergency meds. But, he's a little trickster and seems to come out of them on his own right around 2 1/2 - 3 minutes. You would think by now I would be used to this, but it never gets easier to watch your baby seize. Especially when all the doctors and nurses around him seem to be freaking out and getting the oxygen mask and IV meds ready and waiting by his bed. But, this is what we're here for.

Super Duper Trooper

I'm wide awake thanks to the latte my mother-in-law got me about two hours ago and am just sitting next to his crib, waiting for the next seizure. I think, because he has had so many seizures since 10:20, that they may go back up on his dose of meds. But we probably won't know until the morning. They also have to cath him to get a 24-hr urine collection (ordered by his nephrologist in regards to his kidney stones). I think tomorrow will be a long day with no sleep, but I am so, so, so grateful to have my mother-in-law here. She keeps a steady supply of water, snacks and coffee coming. She is amazing and has stayed awake with me the whole time. She's got her watch ready as soon as he has a seizure and times them for me. We played a few hands of 500 Rummy before the seizures started and I'm pretty sure she's going to make a midnight (or I guess early morning) Subway run for us :o) I don't know how I could have managed this without her. She rocks! But I'm pretty sure we'll both be zombies tomorrow. I'm planning on posting each day were here, simply because people keep asking how it's going and I don't want to have to retell everything over and over again. Plus, there really isn't anything else to do here. So, until tomorrow....