We met with Dr. Cardenas yesterday. Austin's diagnosis is, and I quote, "localization-related (focal) (partial) epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with complex partial seizures; without mention of intractable epilepsy." WHATEVER THAT MEANS! After researching complex partial seizures, I don't think that's what he's having at all, but I'm not the expert I guess! I'll have to ask him about it at our next appointment. He told us Austin is not having absence seizures, so my "mother's intuition" was correct there. The seizures he's having are apparently not really "classified". It's all kinda confusing, but his mini seizures are basically exactly that, his brain just stops them before they turn into tonic-clonic seizures, which are the big ones he's had previously. That's what I got out of it anyway. The doctor explained them as bursts of electrical activity in the brain, which is why they only last a second.
He also changed his medication, which I suggested because it was making him so hyper, plus the fact that it wasn't even working. The new meds are making him pretty drowsy, but the doctor said that would wear off in a few days. Austin will have to continue to get blood work until the meds are regulated. He did SO good getting his blood drawn on Wednesday! He was so brave and didn't even cry! I was so proud of him!
The doctor said the chances that Aust will grow out of this are very high since he's so young. So this is very good news! We have another appointment with Dr. Cardenas in 6 weeks. He's referring us to the Pediatric Neurology Department at Children's Hospital in Denver, but it will probably take at least 4 months before we can get in. He definitely answered a lot of our questions, but I already have so many more! There's just so much that's hard to understand even after having it explained. Oh well! God will take care of Austin and help me understand what I NEED to know. I guess that's all that matters!
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