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Help-our down syndrome son is scheduled for surgery

Fri, 01/14/2011 - 08:50

Our son is 37 years old and down syndrome. He has had seizures since he was 21 years old. Medications are not working,he has tried all. I mean all!!  He is schedule for a corpus colostomy at Emory on Jan 26th. My husband and I have had to make this decision for him. We are scared to death.. The doctors at Emory are informative but not very caring. Are we doing the right thing??Can anyone help us on our decision. He is having 30 to 50+ seizures a month... They have him so much medication he can't function.. He is such a joy to us ...He is also on commundin for a blood clot disorder...Which is scaring us to death....Please someone help us and tell us some news bad or good if you have experienced this..

Thank you

James, Susan ,Sean

Comments

Re: Help-our down syndrome son is scheduled for surgery

Submitted by bella0809 on Sun, 2011-01-23 - 22:07

Hi Susan, 

I have an article about the surgery posted on this site at http://my.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/journal/issue1/surgery

Postive comment?  After 36 years of seizures and 4 meds that did not stop the seizures, I opted for surgery. I have been seizure-free since surgery, which was over 5 years ago.  I am also med-free for almost a year now.  It far outweighs all negative comments.  The surgery was painful, but there are drugs to deal with that.  I woke up when being wheeled out of the room & when I realized where I was and understood people who were speaking around me, I felt a great deal of relief.   I have to make an effort to remember names, but since I've come off meds I find it much easier.  I often think my memory problems were caused more by the side-effects of the meds than the seizures.  

  

 

Hi Susan, 

I have an article about the surgery posted on this site at http://my.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/journal/issue1/surgery

Postive comment?  After 36 years of seizures and 4 meds that did not stop the seizures, I opted for surgery. I have been seizure-free since surgery, which was over 5 years ago.  I am also med-free for almost a year now.  It far outweighs all negative comments.  The surgery was painful, but there are drugs to deal with that.  I woke up when being wheeled out of the room & when I realized where I was and understood people who were speaking around me, I felt a great deal of relief.   I have to make an effort to remember names, but since I've come off meds I find it much easier.  I often think my memory problems were caused more by the side-effects of the meds than the seizures.  

  

 

Re: Help-our down syndrome son is scheduled for surgery

Submitted by susan57 on Sat, 2011-01-15 - 07:49
Thank you for your comment,. I did contact John Hopkins. They will not see him,. Sean receives medicaid because he is uninsurable due to his mental retardation. They will not let us go out of State.  Emory is #13 on the list of top Neuro surgery teams., Very well known in Georgia...It's where everyone goes when they are very sick and can't be healed. Have  you had surgery?

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