May 18, 2019
We have a name...
Posted by mom2howells at 5:50 AM 0 comments
May 14, 2019
May 12, 2019
Mother's Day Weekend...
Posted by mom2howells at 10:29 AM 0 comments
May 11, 2019
Update from Blaze's study...
As I mentioned, Blaze spent this week at CHOA going through more testing for surgery. When you are facing a surgery of this magnitude it's not an easy decision. When other organs mess up, you can often replace them with a donor organ, but a brain can't be replaced and the brain controls every single thing in your body. When a doctor is considering removing parts of your brain it is very risky. Some parts can be removed but some can't. Every part of your brain has a purpose. The doctor's job is to study the child over several months to get to know the child well and to pinpoint the exact problem areas. They have to study those areas and how the child uses them. Then decide if the gains are worth the risk of loss.
As of right now, most of the testing is leaning toward the left side of Blaze's brain. The temporal lobe, amygdala, and hippocampus areas. Those seem to be our problem. The lesion that they are concerned about is also in that area. As we go through the different steps they will be looking to see if each test agrees with the others. Once the tests are all complete then we will set down as a team and discuss the types of surgeries and decide if it's safe to go forward (They did tell me that they are leaning toward a resection). Even if CHOAs team decides that they are comfortable with going forward with surgery, they can't. They have to send Blaze's study to Emory to be reviewed by their team...that's how the process works. If Emory decides that they agree with CHOA, then it will bounce back and we will go forward with the surgery at that time. Yes, it's a lengthy process with many admissions, but I'm thankful for that. I'm glad that they don't just jump in and make a quick decision. It's a long drawn out process but that makes it safer for Blaze. That helps me as his mom to know that they are going to great lengths to make the best and safest decision possible for him.
Here are the tests so far..
Short EEG- complete
3 day EEG- complete
MRI- complete
CT scan- complete
2nd- 3 day EEG- complete
Neurodevelopmental study- complete
Next tests...
2nd MRI
Genetic panel
PET scan
5 day admission with
SPECT scan
There could be more or less tests but so far this is what we have. As I mentioned it can take months to get these tests done. The SEEG has a waiting list because CHOA only does 1 kid a week.
Posted by mom2howells at 4:17 PM 0 comments
May 10, 2019
Phase two complete...
Posted by mom2howells at 2:58 PM 0 comments
May 8, 2019
Blaze had a visitor...
Posted by mom2howells at 2:53 PM 0 comments
May 7, 2019
Update on Blaze...
Posted by mom2howells at 2:33 PM 0 comments
May 6, 2019
Phase 2 of testing
Posted by mom2howells at 2:30 PM 0 comments
May 4, 2019
It's a baby.....
Posted by mom2howells at 3:22 PM 0 comments
May 1, 2019
Apr 30, 2019
About Blaze...
I haven't shared that much info on here about what is going on with Blaze. Over the last few months, Blaze's seizures have increased. He is having seizures almost every day now. He has been to the hospital/ required rescue meds 7 times in the last 6 weeks . We've adjusted meds, maxed out meds, changed meds, etc and the seizures just aren't stopping. He has failed multiple meds and is currently on 4 seizure meds. Somedays he has none and other days as many as 1-30 a day. His doctor sent him for a CT scan and also a MRI. The results came back and showed significant changes to Blaze's brain including new lesions not seen in the previous MRI, that we had done last year. Our neuro decided it was time for us to start discussing other options for Blaze. She gave us a referral to an epileptologist at CHOA. Blaze has been diagnosed with multiple types of seizures but almost all of these last tests seem to show that most of the seizures start in the left side of his brain. The left temporal area and hippocampus area and spread from there. After this last round of testing, he was DXd with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (intractable) and hippocampal sclerosis. The epileptologist basically said that Blaze will not get better without surgery because it's a progressive condition. He is going to have to have surgery. We started phase one of the testing a few weeks ago and next week he will be admitted to start phase two. It takes a lot of testing and studies before they can decide if surgery is a possibility. So far, the doctors seem to think that Blaze he will be a good candidate. It may not stop all of his seizures but it might. Without surgery, she gives Blaze a less than 10% chance that he will get better on meds alone. Due to the new lesions, they just expect that the seizures will continue and get more frequent and possibly cause even more damage to the brain. The question is what type surgery? Can it be a more simpler laser type surgery or will they have to open up the whole side of his head? Will they remove the hippocampus or the left temporal area? How will he be affected by the surgery and removal?... We don't know. That's why he is undergoing all of this testing. We need to see exactly what those areas of his brain control. Then we have to decide if it's safe or to risky. It's so much to take in and almost overwhelming. I am scared... very scared. Blaze needs lots of prayers. We all do including the doctors who are making these big decisions. To learn more click here.
Posted by mom2howells at 7:31 PM 0 comments
Apr 28, 2019
Apr 27, 2019
Team Impact plays the firefighters...
Posted by mom2howells at 4:35 PM 0 comments
Apr 26, 2019
Apr 24, 2019
Update on Baby Crawford #2...
Posted by mom2howells at 7:46 PM 0 comments
My lunch date...
Posted by mom2howells at 4:55 PM 0 comments
Apr 23, 2019
Oh the love...
Posted by mom2howells at 5:05 PM 0 comments
Goodbyes are so hard...
Posted by mom2howells at 4:58 PM 0 comments














































