Back with a vengeance....

So, Joseph's seizures have been returning and getting increasingly worse as well. Last week we took Joseph to the E.R. per his neurologist to be seen and they ended up admitting him to monitor the seizures. So we ended up being there from Thursday to Saturday. Hospitals suck, it's hard to sleep if you sleep at all. I like Children's Medical Center though and their food is thankfully not bad at all either.

They "monitored" him by coming in the room as soon as they could to watch him have his seizure but that was about it. We met with neurologists and also a dietician. They decided they will be starting him on a diet called the Ketogenic Diet. Here is an explanation if you would like to read more about it http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/aboutepilepsy/treatment/ketogenicdiet/index.cfm. What it comes down to is that it's going to be a lot of work but the chances of them adding a 3rd medication and it working is about 10% but starting the diet is about a 50-75% chance of it working to basically eliminate the seizures. Also, when he starts the diet he has to be admitted because of the "shock" the body goes through they want to make sure his body doesn't do anything wierd. So we finally heard back and he will be admitted the week of Feb 28 again at Children's Medical Center Dallas.

At this point he is on two medications, Topamax he takes twice a day and Clonazepam he takes 3 times a day now. He is doing a little better but its a process. Infantile Spasms are the hardest seizures to control. There is no way to know when he will have one, or how many. All we can do is stare at him, count and time them when they do happen. It hurts me so much to see him have them, even though I don't think it literally hurts him I think it's more annoying him really. I just wish I could take them away for him.

Aside from all this he continues to wow me and make me so proud. If ever I feel weak I just look at him and he is all the strength I need. Through it all he is still so amazingly happy. He is doing so well developmentally, he is sitting up more and more and also conquering tummy time. He is getting his knees under him but can't combine it with pushing his chest up off the ground just yet. He makes us so proud. Here are some pictures from our visit. Until next time......