Jessica Diagnosed with epilepsy

Tuesday morning couldn't come soon enough for me.  I'd waited over a three-day weekend to finally see the doctor.

On Thursday afternoon we found out that Jessica's EEG came back abnormal and they started her on Keppra.  The first dose they gave her was WAY too much.  She took it in the evening and on Friday morning, Jessica was too dizzy to even walk.  We ½ ed the medicine and it was much better the next morning.  She was only groggy.

Well, we had to wait Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday to find out what was going on in Jessica's brain - from an American doctor.

8:00 am was our appointment.  We were there (we also updated Jessica's medical insurance that morning).  The doctor spent about 30 minutes with us answering questions about the results of the test?, how they came to be?, why are they acting up now?, what does this mean for her future?, etc. ???

She answered our questions as best she could:
1) What do the test say? Jessica's test present as very typical Primary Generalized Epilepsy.  WOW - She said the electrical currents all fire off at the exact same time in all four regions of the brain.

2) What is the cause of this since Jessica has never had any issues before?  She said she does not believe it is due to a head trauma because one region of the brain doesn't start the firing of electricity before any other area of the brain - the brain electricity fires in all four regions simultaneously.  She said this is more indicative of a genetic example.

We found this to be strange since NO one in our families has epilepsy, but that's okay.  She said it could be there but we just don't get to the point that we trigger a seizure.

3)  What caused this to happen now?  Jessica has live 20 years before there was any sign or symptom that could even be considered for a seizure.  Why did it happen now - and while she was so far away from us?

The doctor (Rebecca Woods) said that it was probably the "perfect storm" that brought it out in her.  Maybe she was under stress, at the same time she was new to the Philippines, new to a culture, new to a climate, probably a little dehydrated, probably not getting a good night's sleep - sleep deprivation is a big trigger, and in all that heat and humidity.  Any one wouldn't bring it out - por say - but the combination of all of it together was too much and it triggered a seizure. - the first time she passed out was probably a Grand Mal seizure.  Nobody can say what the second one was, but it has to be considered a seizure just to be on  the safe side.

4)  What does this mean for Jessica?  Jessica will need to take an anti-seizure medicine consistently for the next year or two, and then they will re-do an EEG, but it is most likely that Jessica will need to take anti-seizure medicine for a very long time (according to the doctor).  She said that Jessica can not drive for 3 months after her last seizure (so that would be 7/27/14).  She will not be able to drive for 2 more months.  Jessica should NOT ever go into a pool without someone that could pull her out if she were to have a seizure.  She will need to be careful to stay a body's length away from harmful objects/items (like campfires, etc).  After Jessica has been on the seizure medicine for 3 months she can pretty much lead and fulfill a completely normal, active life.  She can get pregnant on the medicine and have babies - no worries.  She actually said she doubts that Jessica will ever have another seizure but that she needs to take the medicine as a precaution.

This was all great news considering what it could have been.  Jessica is clear to travel to Provo to see her friends and book her apartment for the winter, get a job, etc.  She is so happy.  She will be even more happy in two months when she can drive.

Mark and I feel the Love of the Lord, and the touch of his promises to us.  She couldn't be more blessed.