Quick Bethany Update: Day one recap
Sorry for the delay and thank you to all who have been so diligent in prayer and in offering their support to our family in the last 48 hours! Bethany is doing well. She is safely in Children’s Medical Center- Dallas on the neurological floor, and we anticipate being here likely a few more days. Here is what we know…
(This is all subject to reversal and change… as we are learning. Anyone ever play football? When the quarterback changes the play at the line right before the ball is snapped its called an audible. We had alot of audibles lately… )
1. The cryosyostosis surgery (to UNfuse the plates in her skull) for which we thought we were most likely coming here is now 90% off the plate… for now.
This is because the seizures are the prominant medical concern, and their origin is NOT a direct result of the plates fusing. If the brain had grown so large in a confined space that it was being compressed, that could have caused it. However, it appears (subject to confirmation and further investigation by MRI today) that Bethany’s brain is actually smaller than what her skull space would suggest. In short, small peanut, big shell. Plenty of room, so no urgency on the surgery.
2. The seizures are likely worse than and more frequent than we are actually SEEING. Hence the EEG monitoring being extended for 24 hours. They wanted to correlate how much of the brain activity is actually getting “out” through her actions. They explained that as young as she is, her brain and muscles have not yet fully connected, so the brain can be having a seizure, and she could look like she’s resting.
3. Developmentally, Bethany is fine. When the neurosurgeons did an eval on her (while watching the EEG screen) she responded completely typically with regards to reflexes, tracking, and optical response. So she seems, even though her “peanut” is a bit small, to be utilizing it very well.
4. Further test should give us further insight. Today’s schedule includes fully dilating her eyes to look further into them. The neuro’s said its like a roadmap insight to the brain development… cool! As I write this, she is in an MRI where they are essentially looking for any malformation in actual brain part development. Later today, they will be doing a spinal tap again to draw more fluid for analysis as well to see if metabolic or genetic concerns are causing this…
5. We may not find our answer this week…
That was the hardest one to swallow. We know that Bethany is responding well to seizure medication, and that we will likely be taking her home on some type of anti-seizure meds. That is quite likely going to be part of our life for the next 2 years, but it will give her body and brain time to develop and give us a chance to more fully understand what is going on as the conversation continues.
Thats all for now. Thank you all for your support and prayers!
Chad & Amy, Dillon, Emily and Bethany Houck
Share Well Podcast at iTunes
Jul 02, 2010
Hey guys – just wanted to let you know we’re checking on your Bethany updates and keeping her and you guys in prayer. Lots of love from Idaho!
Carola
Jul 05, 2010
Thanks Carola. We’ll get another update online soon! She’s doing great
Jun 24, 2010
Thank you so much for sharing Bethany’s story here at Children’s Medical Center. We are so glad you’ve had a good experience here and look forward to hearing more about Bethany.
Jun 24, 2010
Janet,
The very fact that you found the story and took the time to comment is just another example of y’all doing it RIGHT. Thank you so much for the incredible staff, from ER to engineering, the nurses to the medical faculty, your security guards and volunteers. You ALL were a class act and made our experience first rate. I’d be lying if I said “I wish we didn’t have to leave”, but one thing I can say for sure is that if we ever do need to return for care, the first place we are coming is Children’s Medical Center.
Thank YOU.
Jun 22, 2010
Thanks for the update. I will say a prayer for little Bethany and all of you. Love Kathy
Jun 22, 2010
We are friends of John Alan and learned of Bethany thru his facebook. We are praying for your family and for Bethany. Our hearts and prayers will continue until she is better. GOD is Good. GOD Bless all of you.
Jun 22, 2010
Thank you Brent and Louise. God bless you both.
Jun 22, 2010
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by AmyHouck, Chad Houck. Chad Houck said: Quick Bethany Update: Day one recap – new blog post at http://bit.ly/cCeXEI [...]
Jun 22, 2010
Thanks for the update. What an agonizing situation, although we know that God is in control. Prayers going up for all your family and your doctors.
Sue
Jun 22, 2010
Thank you Sue. Looks like the majors are out in that we saw good things and not major deformities in the MRI. Still no idea what caused it, but we at least know how to treat her now to avoid relapses.