VNS - What Debbie P. Has To Say ...

Last Update: 7 June, 1998

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21 May

My 12 yr. old son will be having the implant on June 4th. He became ill 15months ago with viral encephalitis and averages 25 seizures a month. He hastried several types of medication but nothing has help. I seen a doctor onour local t.v. station and obtained more information on the implant. Thedoctors have put the implants in other patients with great success. I havebeen talking with an parent , her 11 yr. old daughter has had the implantand went form 80 a DAY to 8 a MONTH. She also had encephalitis at age 4but it left her mentally retarded. My son is excited about the implant buthe knows it is not a cure all. he was a straight "A"" student at acatholic school but since his illness he in enrolled in a public school,special education. I don't know what is keeping him back, the seizures,the medication or the virus probably all of them. Well I will let you knowhow things go after the implant.

7 June

My 12 yr old son, Nick had the VNSimplanted on June 4 the operation went great. It will not be turned on tillJune 11th. He was so brave he handle everything so well he was a littlesick after form the anesthesia, but that is to be expected. He had theoperation at Bons Secours hospital in Detroit Mi. I will keep you updated.

10 July

They turned my son's implant off on June 26 due to an increase in seizures. All of the docs want to wait until his lamitical get at a therapeutic levelwhich should be the end of July. They feel that there is too much going onat one time and they want to make sure the stimulator isn't causing the seizures. When the implant wasturned on the magnet didn't stop any of the seizures. The good thing is Iknow they can turned it on at any time if needed. He had 12 seizuresduring the month of June and 6 in May which is down from 25 a month for thepast 16 months. When he did have the seizures the magnet did nothing atall. I'm keeping the faith.