Childhood Stroke Awareness

Thank you for all your thoughts at prayers for Cameron! The result of the MRI is that the good news is that he did not suffer another stroke. Thank GOD for that. They saw the same from his 2 year old MRI. What has changed is the activity of the brain and the in depth parts of where the seizures are. We are looking at behavior/mood changes, academic changes, speech/language changes and vision changes. We are going to monitor his medication and of course increase it. Then we will see if he can stay seizure free with this amount of medication. As many of you know surgery for Cameron is not out of our minds yet. "Any patient who continues to have complex partial seizures following an adequate trial of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) should be considered for evaluation for surgery in a comprehensive epilepsy center. Investigations should include 24-hour electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring, a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study, and neuropsychological assessment. Surgery is most effective in patients with unilateral hippocampal atrophy or a structural lesion and concordant EEG findings. " (from the Dr. webnotes) He has had a 24 hr. EEG, MRI and we are undergoing neuropsychological assessment now. He will be seen by neuropsychiatry at children's. Please continue to pray for ou r family and that medication will help Cameron. The risk20of surgery at this point is so high for him due to where the stroke occurred and where the seizures are. We don't want more cognitive delays, motor movement delay and language delay. I will keep you posted as we go down this path. Thank you for being there for me during this time of fear and the unknown for Cameron's health.

Wow what a neat thing to see and witness!  Aunt Sara puts it best for today if she doesn't mind me copying it!

"We are so blessed in our family to have Cameron. He is amazing, like the amazing love of God who knows how much we need this little boy. I watch the wonderful videos you put together and my heart swells. From the time he was born, and the days he spoke those precious sentences: ?These are Mommy?s shoes,? when I was wearing your sandals, ?Dat okay, Mommy,? feeding himself Cheerios with his right hand, and countless more which become clearer each day, and bring us to the amazing October 13th video. Nothing short of a miracle happened that day when Cameron knew is was his time and confidently picked out a bicycle, got on it and rode like the champion he is. I thank God for His miracles and many more we will see for my precious great nephew!

I love you for all you do, Paige. If I never see another miracle, I've been blessed by God's gift of ours."

It has been a few months in 1st grade.  He is doing very well adjusting to longer days, more work and new friends.  He gets very tired after 1:00 and requires rest time.  His school has been very helpful with him.  He loves all the work they are given but it is hard for him.  Reading and writing is difficult and he is showing signs of Dyslexia.  Decoding words, reversals, phonemic awareness is becoming a struggle.  He is such a trooper and never says anything negative about school. IT is always his favorite place to be.  Parent teacher conferences are soon.  I will find out more then and post!

"Dyslexic people are visual, multi-dimensional thinkers. We are intuitive and highly creative, and excel at hands-on learning. Because we think in pictures, it is sometimes hard for us to understand letters, numbers, symbols, and written words." Ron Davis

Yea! 1st GRADE for Cameron!  He is worried and excited all at the same time.  His teacher seems wonderful and her teacher helper is so sweet. He has seven friends in his class.  6 boys 1 girl.  Chapel was fun and he loves to hear the guiter and pray.  He found his name on his desk/cubby and was making friends as I left his school.   I was just as worried and excited as he was.  I will post when we gets home to find out what he did on his 1st day!

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We found out what was causing the hand to seem like it was not being used as much.  Cameron has been feeling light headed, pale, headaches and sleepy for the last couple of months.  His skin looked almost yellowish after each episode.  It is so sad to hear your child say "my brain is burning" and then falling down, with his eyes turning.  After the seizure he sleeps for a long nap.  I knew what his seizures looked like but was not thinking that each time he had one his hand, wrist, arm was turning in as well. He was not using it after each time.  He is on more medication and will be on it for a long time it seems.  I hope this round of medication will help control them!

Cameron is not using that hand these days. It was getting better. He would use it for dressing, helping.  It was a helper hand and could be so much more.  Lately it is fisted tight and under.  When we try to have him use it his wrist will not lay down flat.  Textures are really bothering him, cold, paints, warm.  My sweet boy would really love to have it under the table to eat and not hold the bowl. Getting dressed is one handed now.  I had a good cry the other day.  I know it will get better and HE will find his way again.

Until next time......

Cameron will be finishing his Transitional Kindergarten class in a few weeks. It is a class to get ready for Kindergarten.  He would then go to Kindergarten this fall. We found a school for children with disabilities.  It seems so wonderful for him. But they do not start at K. 1st grade is the starting class for 2008/2009. Cameron is 6 so his age does qualify him for 1st. After interviews, tours, placement testing and admission panel reviews....Cameron was accepted for the 1st grade class! He will be with 8 kids, 2 teachers.  He also will have speech, OT and adaptive PE! Everything is hands on, multisensory teaching. It will be a challenge but Cameron has always been up for that! We will miss our friends and teachers at his old school.  We will have place in our hearts for his prek and Tk classes.

Off we go to new beginnings!